"So, what is this?"
Dorian pointed at the footprint at the size of a human forearm on the ground.
"O-orc."
"An Orc footprint…"
The Snow Strikers swordsmen looked like shit as they answered.
"Orc? Orrrrrrc?"
"Ugh, it's an orc!"
He only nodded his head after they spoke the full sentence.
"Hey, guys. How about this one?"
He pointed at the claw mark on the tree this time.
"Th-That is a bearw…"
"Ah, you don't know. That is a bearwolf's mark of territory. Seriously, you need to learn all about this in order to become an excellent scout!"
Dorian cut the Snow Strikers off when they were about to give the correct answer, then started blabbering his lecture. He was using the exact same information he had learned a few days before.
"Ugh…"
"Argh!"
"D-da…"
The Snow Strikers either looked up into the sky, clenching their fists or biting their lips to suppress their anger. The fun part was the fact that their leader, Edquill, stood with them with a corpse-pale face.
His shoulders trembled, sensing Raon's gaze from behind him.
"I never thought I'd witness such a scene in my life."
Terian laughed bitterly, looking at the Snow Strikers as they carried logs and followed Dorian like ducklings.
"I'll tell the commander about the incident if it's going to be an issue."
Raon bowed at Terian in apology.
"No, I agree with you that we can't just let them treat their fellow soldiers as porters. They need to realize how much hardship the scouts have gone through. Three months should be enough time for them to learn that, so I'd rather compliment your idea."
Terian smiled, displaying his hand to show his honesty.
"By the way, I have something I want to ask you."
"I'm listening."
"Did you actually trap him with the dagger?"
His gaze was directed at the Blade of Requiem hanging around Raon's waist. His question suggested that he already understood the situation.
"Yes, I did."
There was no reason to hide something he already knew. Raon nodded slowly.
"Hah."
Terian shook his head and exclaimed.
'I wasn't mistaken.'
As he thought, Raon's exceptional prowess was just the tip of the iceberg. The young swordsman had way more to him than just that.
"You have a promising future."
"I agree."
The Wolf Mercenary Corps captain, Beto, walked up next to them and sat down.
"Despite my looks, I'm actually rather old."
He pointed at his young face and smiled.
"I've traveled the entire continent and met countless people, yet it's my first time seeing someone like Sir Raon. How shall I describe it? You are strong and thoughtful, but have weak emotions."
"Weak?"
"Ah, it's a compliment. It means that there's a pure side to you."
"…I see."
Raon nodded. He'd seen right through him, probably because he had lots of experience.
'Shall I hide it? No.'
He wondered whether he showed too much about himself, but that wasn't the case. Since he decided to live on as the swordsman Raon instead of as an assassin, it was fine to show that much.
"I hope we get along in the future. I have a feeling I'm going to need a lot of help from you."
"Same goes for me."
Terian extended his hand and Raon took it.
"Haha! Me, too."
Beto's long hand settled on top of their hands.
"Please visit our mercenary corps later, when you have time."
He couldn't be trusted yet, but it seemed Beto was favorable for now, as a guest or a potential recruit.
"Are you already getting down to business?"
"I'd better mark a genius like him immediately. I honestly want to recruit him right away, but I don't think that's possible. Since we are comrades in arms, I'll get better treatment than a random stranger."
"Oh, okay."
Beto smiled, and Terian laughed in a similar way.
"What? Troooll?"
Raon turned his head upon hearing Dorian's shout.
"This is a Kari Mountain goat's footprint! How do you not know this? You guys are so hopeless. I'm adding an extra log!"
He wrinkled his nose, fiddling with his belly pocket.
He doesn't know when to stop, befitting the title of First Subordinate of King of Essence.
Wrath nodded in admiration.
'Seriously, there's no one normal around me.'
Raon sighed, watching Dorian as he actually took out another log.
* * *
"Woaaah!"
Upon passing through Habun Castle's main gate, an ear-piercing roar burst out. It came from the soldiers and residents that had surrounded the main road.
"I heard that everyone returned safely!"
"Isn't this the first time that's happened in Habun Castle's history?"
"I guess everyone was skilled in this expedition!"
The residents exclaimed once again, looking at the soldiers entering the castle like generals returning from a victorious campaign.
"That's an ice troll warrior and shaman!"
"Woah, I haven't seen those in a long time, but they are still so big. Those are real monsters."
"I heard one person killed them all."
"I heard that, too. It was apparently that young swordsman, the one that fought against those Wolves, who killed both of them."
"He's over there! I can't feel any special pressure from him, so how is he that strong?"
"Isn't the rumor just exaggerated?"
The gazes of the soldiers and residents were all directed at Raon because of the scouts, who returned to the castle one day earlier in order to deliver the news.
The gazes of admiration, curiosity, awe, or suspicion were skimming over him from top to bottom.
Since Raon was somewhat used to that, he accepted those gazes indifferently and walked up to the center.
"Everyone in the castle should know about you now."
Dorian approached him from the side and grinned. It looked like he had a great time relieving his stress on the Snow Strikers, as his face was glowing despite not even having washed himself.
"You look happy."
"Of course I am! I've already got juniors! Usually in group life, the quality of life depends on the number of juniors under you. I'm in heaven right now!"
Dorian's steps were as light as a feather, as the fight was over and he had many people to do chores for him.
Upon reaching the headquarters and displaying the ice troll warrior and shaman's heads like they were in a parade, Milland's adjutant Charles came out and bowed to them.
"The commander says to come up right away."
He called Raon, Terian, Edquill, and Radin.
"Am I forsaken?"
"Ah, that's…"
"It's a joke! I'm just kidding!"
Beto shrugged his shoulders and headed towards the pub, saying he was going to drink. The mercenaries rejoiced and followed him.
"Please, follow me."
Raon went up to the commander's room, following Charles. Passing through the black door, spreading the old tree's fragrance, Commander Milland was sitting there with a scowl.
"Edquill."
"Yes…"
"It looks like you were too comfortable around me."
Milland raised his head, and an intense pressure filled the atmosphere.
"Huff!"
Edquill grasped his chest, unable to breathe in the face of that pressure.
"I told you in every single conference to take care of the scouts. How could you screw up like that, despite having participated in every single conference?"
Those were vulgar words coming from a commander, but they suited him for some reason.
"M-my apologies! Please, forgive me this time!"
Edquill knelt and smashed his head on the ground.
"Forgive you?"
"Yes! If you forgive me this time, I'll never let this happen again…"
"Fine, I can forgive you. But you have to pay the price, first."
Edquill raised his head upon hearing Milland's voice, which grew slightly softer. However, it didn't take long until the anticipation disappeared from his eyes.
"Since the bet was under the vice-commander's notary, I can't just break that promise. Also, I actually feel like that's a pretty good method. I'm sure you will learn your lesson once you find out how the scouts live and work."
"I… I see."
Edquill looked like a man whose spirit had left his body as he walked out. A zombie from the dead man's forest would've looked just like him.
"Radin."
"Yes."
"Am I that untrustworthy to you?"
"That's not the case!"
"Then, why have you never told me about having to do their chores?"
Milland asked the question fiercely. It looked like Radin was going to get punished as well if he gave a wrong answer.
"The soldiers are the ones that have to face the swordsmen during missions and exterminations. I'm fine with it, but I was afraid that they would take revenge on my boys, since they would have to stay in bed for a long time if aura users attacked them."
Radin's voice was quivering. His flushed face showed that he cared about his subordinates from the bottom of his heart.
"What an idiot."
Milland clicked his tongue.
"How many times do you think something like that has happened before? I could've solved everything if you just told me about it secretly!"
"But how?"
"It's the same as what he did."
He pointed his finger at Raon.
"There's nothing that can't be solved by a beating. If violence doesn't solve the issue, that simply means I didn't use enough violence."
"Whaat?"
"F-Father?"
Terian and Radin's eyes widened.
"Anyway, you also need to be punished. You will be on probation for a week, starting tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Why not today…?"
"I can't punish you right away since you just returned from killing an ice troll warrior and shaman without any casualties. You shall eat and play to your heart's content today."
"Ah, thank you."
Radin bowed with an awkward expression, one that didn't have a smile or tears, before leaving the commander's room.
Finally, Milland's gaze was directed at Raon.
"Good job, and thank you."
Milland softly smiled, as if his earlier frown were a lie.
Honestly, it didn't exactly fit him. He looked like a smiling solid rock, but Raon could still feel his warmth and care for his subordinates.
"It's a miracle that everyone returned without a single casualty. You did a great job."
"It was nothing."
"Did you say your graduation exam was to survive here for one year?"
"Yes."
"I'll report this incident to Zieghart without missing a single detail. I'll also prepare handsome rewards, so you should take them later."
"Thank you."
Raon nodded lightly and Milland's smile grew wider.
"You finally look like a kid."
He laughed and shook his hand.
"You can return. You should also enjoy this day. There won't be any room left for you if you are too late."
"Yes."
Raon bowed, then left. Milland gestured with his hand to call Terian, who was standing there blankly.
"How was it?"
"Sorry?"
"Didn't you say you wanted to see his true abilities? What kind of guy is he?"
"I couldn't see it."
"You couldn't?"
"He isn't a boy that I can dare to judge. I thought he was still a lump of metal that needed to go through tempering, but he was already a blade nearing completion."
"Huhu. That's what I told you. He is different."
Milland nodded, as if he already knew that would happen.
"He is also good-natured. He doesn't even show his power as long as no one offends him. It doesn't exactly match Zieghart, but it actually does somehow."
"If you can get on his good side, then you should."
"Pardon?"
"He might become Zieghart's head of house one day."
"I-Is he that amazing?"
"That guy…"
Milland slightly smiled, looking down at Raon through the window.
"He is stronger than the Destructive King of the North back when he was that age. I've never seen a monster like him before."
* * *
Upon hearing that everyone went to the pub, Raon also went towards the Branch of Frost. He opened the door and the noisy interior, saturated with the scent of alcohol, came into view.
"Sir Raon! This way!"
Dorian enthusiastically waved his hand, his face completely red.
"Huh? It's the protagonist!"
"The pride of our scouting party!"
"Raon! Raon! Raon!"
The scouts shouted his name, slamming the table with their beer glasses.
"Woaaah!"
"Sword demon! Sword demon!"
"We are here also!"
The mercenaries did the same thing and shouted.
Raon snickered, sitting next to Dorian. Since he had gotten pretty close to them on their return, he didn't really dislike them shouting his name.
"I'll pay today! Yua! Bring every drink and meal you have!"
"What are you talking about? I'm going to pay today!"
"No, the third scouting party is paying!"
The scouts and the mercenaries started fighting because they wanted to pay. They were all excited about the fact that no one had died during the expedition.
"Ahem!"
After serving the ordered food and liquor, Yua cleared her throat, standing adorably at the center of the pub.
"Since everyone has returned safely from the expedition, I'll sing a song for the first time in a long time!"
Yua raised her small hand and smiled brightly.
"Wow!"
"Seriously?"
"How long has it been since the last time I heard Yua sing?"
"What a great occasion, created by the sword demon!"
Everyone inside the pub turned to look at Yua. It didn't look like they were just flattering her.
"Well, then."
Yua fluttered her twin tails and closed her eyes.
"Inside the frozen forest, the blue wave billows…"
Once she started singing, her hands brought together, the pub fell silent.
"The fairies of the night miss the daylight…"
Raon was unsure how to describe it, but it touched his heart.
She wasn't just good at singing, her talent was on an entirely different level. It was his first time seeing a girl as good at singing in both his previous life and current life combined.
He wasn't talking about good technique or clear sound, either. Her voice felt like she was offering comfort to people's emotions.
She is really good. She has a special talent.
'Are you complimenting her because she gave you pineapple?'
The King of Essence is strict about talent. What she is doing is already similar to magic. Didn't she touch your heart?
Raon nodded in agreement.
She will succeed greatly if she becomes a singer. It would be a shame for her to keep serving food in this place. She shall be appointed as the King of Essence's personal singer and chef…
'There you go again.'
Raon ignored Wrath's rambling and focused on Yua's voice. Just as he said, her singing felt special.
"…And face the rising sun!"
"Woaaah!"
"Yua! Yua!"
As soon as Yua finished her song, the pub was filled with cheers. The mercenaries and scouts patted Raon's shoulders, telling him it was all thanks to him that they heard Yua's song.
The inside of the pub had become a small festival, and the soldiers and mercenaries laughed and clamored together, talking about the memories of their expedition.
'Yes, this is it.'
The scene of growing companionship after a difficult battle was what he looked forward to at Habun Castle. It was a bit rough, but the warm emotion throbbed in his heart.
'I still have a lot to learn in the world.'
Raon smiled lightly, looking at everyone rejoicing together.
* * *
On top of a tree at the midpoint of the North Grave Mountain, where Zieghart's annex building could be seen, Glenn Zieghart was standing on a branch that was thin enough to fit nothing more than a small bird.
His red eyes were directed at Sylvia, who was checking the high-quality beef placed in front of the annex building.
"Hmm. She would like it even more if you gave it to her personally."
Rimmer licked his lips, sitting on the branch right below him.
"I never realized she liked beef."
Glenn opened his mouth, watching Sylvia until she went back to the building and closed the door.
"I don't know what she likes, nor what she dislikes, because I've been a bystander instead of a father."
"..."
"A bystander like me has no right to approach her."
"But that wasn't what the head of house desired."
"It was what I wanted. I wanted to get stronger, and this was the consequence. The only things I remember about Sylvia are her moment of birth and when she ran away, back to this place."
Glenn's bitter voice was similar to a late-blooming flower, remaining alone under the cold wind.
"Then now isn't too late to fill those missed moments."
"Rimmer."
"Yes?"
"What do you think would happen if I scattered feathers from a bag here?"
"They would fly away."
"Yes. They would spread out in all directions, and you wouldn't be able to catch them. My actions and words are the same. What has been done cannot be undone."
"Hmm… I don't think so."
Rimmer pouted.
"What are you talking about?"
"Watch this."
He took out a race ticket from his pocket and ripped it into pieces before scattering them into the air. The paper rode the cold wind and dispersed in all directions.
"And now!"
Rimmer swung his hand like a claw. The green wind formed, collecting the scattered race ticket pieces and returning them to his hand.
"It worked!"
He grinned and showed him the race ticket in his hand.
"…I never should've talked to you."
Glenn ground his teeth and jumped down from the tree.
"Huh? Head of house, are you mad?"
"Shut up."
"You are joking, right?"
"Don't come near me."
"Hahaha! My ears felt itchy recently. Was it you that's been insulting me behind my back?"
"I don't even want to talk about you."
Glenn and Rimmer quarreled and walked towards the lord's manor, a cold wind brushing past their heads.
"Since the wind is getting colder, it's going to start soon."
"Yes. Once the wave starts, he will also realize why Habun Castle is called hell."
"Huh? You just answered!"
"Tsk."
Glenn clicked his tongue and turned around.
"I heard Raon did some great things at Habun Castle. Why don't you tell me about them?"
"I don't know anything."
"Pff, what are you talking about? You are getting the regular reports every two weeks! How am I supposed to believe that when you can't even sleep comfortably at night because of your worries for your grands…huh?"
"Haaa."
Yellow light sparked in Glenn's hand.
"H-Head of house?"
"I'll make you unable to open your trap for a while."
"Wait! I'm going to die if that falls down on me!"
"Yes, die."
A huge bolt of lightning struck in the middle of North Grave Mountain that day.
____
A/N: Hey Readers!!!
Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.
Reviews and comments are truly appreciated.