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The large pot simmered, and steam rose from its contents, which included octopus, mussels, abalones, scallops, clams, crab, creating a delightful aroma.
Haemultang.
It was a dish that Euria, the daughter of Kashmir and Alisa, had loved since she was two years old.
She is nine years old now. She couldn't attend school due to some circumstances, but she spent her days without feeling lonely or bored, along with Enya's younger brother, Pinte (and the old dog, Puffy), and Jet's son, Kou.
And the day that Euria especially enjoyed was when everyone, kids and adults alike, gathered to cook and eat Haemultang like this.
"Haemultang, haemul-tang!"
Thanks to Euria's enthusiastic chanting, all the children sang this strange and delightful song. It was such an endearing sight that even Veris, who was often regarded as a witch by the children, couldn't help but chuckle.
Especially Kashmir and Alisa felt deep and intense emotions when they saw Euria like this.
'If it weren't for Lord Jin, Euria would…'
'It's such a blessing to witness our daughter in such moments.'
The couple couldn't help but be moved as they served Haemultang to the children.
"Eat a lot, kids. Make sure to chew thoroughly."
"Yes!"
The adults raised their glasses in a toast while watching the kids enjoying their meal. It was indeed a harmonious moment.
"Not only were we able to save Euria, but if it weren't for Lord Jin, we wouldn't have moments like this," Kashmir said.
"You're right, Sir Kashmir. Thanks to lord, people who would have never met are now gathered as a family. It's so sweet and heartwarming. It's been a while since I've tasted such a fine wine. It's a shame lord isn't here..."
It was the first time Tikan's companions had such leisurely moments after the terror at the Sword Emperor Castle.
Along with the tasks left unfinished during their stay at the Sword Emperor Castle, there was a mountain of information to be gathered.
"Today, without uncle Jin, no. Without oppa, it feels a bit empty." Euria said.
Everyone agreed with Euria.
"Aunt Strawberry Pie too."
"Butterfly too."
"Yes, we are disappointed too. Is it delicious?"
"Yes, yes."
"Lord Jin said he supervises the Guardian Knight promotion exam, right?"
"That's right, Miss Enya. You are indeed keeping track of Lord Jin's schedule. It seems like they intend to monitor the promotion of the Guardian knights so that it doesn't go according to the wishes of the Elder Council. Even Lord Murakan mentioned that he would support Lord Jin and is attending as an observer."
Although they couldn't see the scene directly, they could easily imagine Murakan causing a commotion. After all, he was the guardian of the clan and a mighty black dragon, so it wasn't hard to picture him shouting and making a scene.
"I think Lord Murakan may be the only one who can give the Runcandel's Guardian knights a run for their money."
"I think he will do the same with the Elder council in the near future."
Everyone giggled and savored their food with a somewhat disappointed look.
They felt disappointed to think that only Jin, Murakan, and Gilly could not feel this intimate and warm moment.
"Next time, we should invite the Ghost leader for a meal along with Lord Jin."
"He behaved like a real madman at first, but I heard he once again risked his life to protect the Lord. He's not lacking as my successor."
"Jet, if you ever say something like that somewhere else, you could really disappear without a trace. I tolerated it because you're cute, but Lata Proch doesn't have that kind of personality."
"Probably, at least a few of your fingers would have disappeared if he had been in front of you. Does the Ghost leader look like a pushover to you?"
In response to Kuzan and Veris, Jet replied indifferently, as if unimpressed, "I'm just trying to act tough at times. What's the big deal with you people? Come to think of it, you two are my successors as well."
On the other hand, Yulian, who was standing beside them, nodded silently as if affirming.
His guardian dragon, Caltor, was still unable to wake up despite Cuicantelle feeding him elixir every day.
However, ever since Jin brought the inner core of Jin Ozdock, he had shown a very favorable attitude toward all his comrades.
Alisa brought a new bottle of alcohol amidst this conversation and looked at her comrades.
"We'll be busy again for a while after today. Everyone knows that Lord Jin is quite worried about Tikan these days, right?"
Indeed, Tikan has been one of Jin's major concerns lately.
Since the patriarchy declaration, the internal conflicts had intensified, and recently, there had been tension with the emperor. In addition, Zipfel and Kinzelo had shown constant suspicious movements.
The whole world now knew that Tikan was Jin's force, so it was not an exaggeration to say that it was a situation where an attack could come at any time.
"It's fortunate that Runcandel can't directly attack us thanks to Lord Jin. He said the Ghost mercenaries will send support troops soon, but we can't rely on the Lord alone. We need to prepare ourselves as well."
Of course, those who were stationed with Tikan had considerable power, surpassing the forces of most small countries.
However, the problem was that their individual strengths were excellent only when compared to small countries, and their limited number of troops was a significant issue.
"Lord Jin's preparations for war and disaster response, which he has been working on since his days as a reserve flagbearer, are slowly being completed."
"That alone is not enough, honey. Besides, that system is specialized for escape, not defense or counterattack. Hm, maybe I should find and train some of my juniors who were abandoned by the Imperial family."
"The special task force dropouts are too dangerous."
"I know, it's just something I said out of frustration. I'd rather hire the mercenary Amela, even if it comes to that."
Amela, the great mercenary of the Gaifa islands, was a figure who rivaled the Black King Mercenaries leader and was among the top three mercenaries in the world.
"Even if not Amela, we should consider the Black King mercenaries. We should meet with their leader before the Lord arrives."
Kashmir said, and someone approached them with lively footsteps.
"Dessert! We have special Latrie cookies! They're fresh, crunchy, and delicious, too deadly for the kids to eat!"
It was Latrie. His appearance instantly captivated the children's attention, leaving them spellbound, and even the adults couldn't resist their appetites.
"Give me one!"
"Me too!"
Latrie beamed with satisfaction as the children rushed forward.
However, a moment later, as Latrie was handing out cookies, he suddenly shifted his gaze to Euria.
Unlike the children, Euria didn't rush to grab a cookie and was staring into empty space with vacant eyes.
"E-Euria!"
Latrie's urgent voice made everyone immediately sense what was happening.
Euria was in a state where Az Mil's power was manifesting.
Although she had improved significantly compared to when she was very young, Euria still couldn't fully control Az Mil's power. It was a side effect of glimpsing too much of the future during her childhood.
Latrie quickly tried to "resonate" with her, but it wasn't as easy as when Euria was very young.
"Latrie, is Euria okay!?"
"I think I need to transform into my original form to enter..."
"No, I am fine, Latrie."
It was Euria's voice. She was still staring into the future inside her mind, but unlike before, she seemed to be aware of the boundaries between what she was 'seeing' and the present.
"Can you hear my voice, Euria?"
"Yes, I can hear you."
"Is it painful?"
"I don't think so, not yet."
Latrie and their comrades exchanged glances.
Eventually, Latrie sat down in front of Euria and closed his eyes. Resonance still didn't occur. Instead, Latrie calmly decided to ask Euria what she was seeing.
"Euria, tell me what you see."
"Tikan..."
Euria answered in a drowsy and dreamy voice.
"Where in Tikan? Our mansion, or the refreshment shop, or the streets?"
"Everywhere. I can see everything... as if I'm looking from a distance."
"Is there something you are riding? Like Lord Murakan or maybe me?"
"Neither of you."
"Then what does it look like?"
There was a moment of silence. It was the result of intense concentration to discern the exact context shown by Az Mil's power.
"A boat... a small boat. And..."
"Kyaaah!"
Out of nowhere, Euria let out a scream and opened her eyes.
Latrie and others immediately embraced Euria, and she was trembling as if she had witnessed something extremely frightening.
"Tikan."
Euria whispered with a quivering voice.
"Tikan will be attacked."
"When?"
"Right now."
Boom...!
Before Euria could finish speaking, a terrifying explosion was heard from outside the mansion.
It felt like a minor earthquake accompanied by vibrations.
Something powerful was striking the outer walls of the Free City.
"Is it cannon fire? Mana bombs?"
Jet reflexively shouted as he looked out the window, but Cuicantelle and the martial artists already knew it was something else.
What was attacking the Free City was the sword energy of the martial artists, and not just any sword energy – it was from individuals with at least 9-star power level, and there were many of them.
"Get the kids to a safe place, and everyone, prepare for combat. These are not ordinary individuals. Contact Jin and the Ghost mercenaries immediately!"
Cuicantelle shouted, and the explosions and vibrations continued to reverberate.
***
In the central training grounds of the Sword Garden, a solemn atmosphere prevailed as the guardian knights were undergoing their promotion exam.
Jin and Murakan sat on the opposite side, observing and evaluating not only the guardian knights but also the elders who were assessing them.
"If it wasn't for the elders, I would have promoted only those who fit my taste perfectly. Having too many geniuses in the clan is a problem. There is no shortage of knights even if we run things like my way, tsk," Murakan said.
"Those who couldn't be promoted despite their outstanding skills were being rotated among the flagbearers anyway. Hm, that fellow doesn't seem bad." Jin replied.
Jin and Murakan were scrutinizing the gems among the gems, when someone hurriedly entered the training ground.
Creak!
The door opened, and it was none other than the butler Petro.
Petro tried to maintain a composed expression to avoid giving anything away to potential enemies, but Jin saw through his anxiety and apprehension.
'Young master, we've received an urgent distress signal from Tikan,' Petro whispered as he approached, and Jin had to make an effort not to show his concern.
Jin calmly inquired about the situation, 'What exactly is the content of the signal?'
'It reports an invasion by martial artists with 9-star or higher battle prowess. There have been no additional signals.'
If there were no additional signals until they reached the transfer gate, it would signify an extremely dire situation.
'Have you contacted the gatekeeper?'
'Of course.'
'We depart immediately. Also, were any of my affiliated forces in the vicinity of Tikan?'
If not, it could spell disaster. However, should we say it's fortunate in misfortune, Petro gave this response.
'Young masters Daytona and Haytona have been roaming near Tikan for several days. They are awaiting the opportunity to meet with you.'