"Please save me! I'll do anything, please!"
Palen cried out while rubbing her hands together like a fly.
"I can be a servant. Even a slave is fine! Please let me stay around you!"
Mark Goetten shouted with a serious voice while slamming his head on the ground.
Hmm…
Wrath licked his lips while scratching his chin.
The King of Essence doesn't understand the situation. What have you done to those two?
'I didn't do anything after I beat him up yesterday. I didn't even beat Palen up because she fainted first.'
Raon slightly lowered his eyebrows while watching Palen and Mark Goetten, who were begging on their knees.
Why are they doing this then?
'I don't know.'
They might be planning to smash your head after getting you to let your guard down.
'It's possible, but improbable.'
As far as he saw, Palen's pride was higher than her ability. She wasn't the type of person to kneel in front of him and beg even if that was in preparation to defeat him.
'And…'
Raon twisted his lips slightly while watching Palen's face.
'She looks terrified.'
She must've experienced something terrifying when she regained consciousness. That was the only explanation for the face she was making.
"Please enter, both of you."
Raon was planning to go outside, but he returned to his room.
"Th-thank you!"
"Thank you!"
Palen and Mark Goetten stayed on their knees and crawled into the room.
"Huh…"
Raon laughed bitterly and closed the door before sitting on the bed.
"Please stand up and take a seat."
He brought over some chairs and pointed at them to sit.
"I-it's okay."
"Same goes for me, I feel more comfortable this way."
Palen and Mark Goetten shook their heads while staying on their knees instead of standing up.
"What the hell…?"
Raon rubbed his temple while watching their serious eyes for different reasons.
'I don't understand.'
The same goes for you.
'What?'
Why are you being so polite now? It's the complete opposite of yesterday.
Raon wrinkled his nose while looking at Raon.
'Because they are being polite.'
Is that enough for you to be polite? When you were being so rude yesterday?
'Yes.'
In the King of Essence's opinion, you aren't normal either. You are about a quarter-way to insanity.
He floated in the air like cigarette smoke and said that he never expected to have so much difficulty understanding a human being.
'It's only natural. Even humans can hardly understand each other.'
Raon closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again and examining Mark. His eyes, which used to be filled with vanity and despair, contained a small and faint brilliance.
'He looks easier to talk to.'
Raon figured that it was better to start with Mark Goetten instead of Palen since she was too terrified.
"Mark Goetten."
"Yes!"
"What do you mean by accepting you as a servant?"
"It means what it is."
Mark Goetten clenched his fist and slammed the left side of his chest, where his heart was located.
"I want to follow you even if I have to be a servant! Please allow me to serve you as my lord!"
It was difficult to believe that he was the same person as the day before because of how powerful his voice was.
"Why are you suddenly asking for that?"
Raon briefly sighed and supported his arm on his knee. Strength was leaving his body because of how unexpected it was.
"If you are planning to stand behind me for revenge, you are gravely mistaken. I don't trust you at all."
"That's not the case."
"In that case, is it because I'm from Zieghart…?"
"That's not the case either! I didn't know that you were Raon Zieghart when I woke up!"
Mark Goetten shook his head fiercely.
"When I regained consciousness, my heart was hurting the most instead of my injured chin or the lacerations on my body. What you said before smacking my chin had become an awl to pierce my heart."
He slammed his chest once again.
"You are right, Sir Raon. I got cocky with my talent during my childhood and neglected my efforts. Once I got older, I postponed my training because I thought it was already too late and only practiced the areas I wanted."
Mark Goetten pressed the floor with his clenched fist.
"I kept swinging my saber and comforting myself by thinking that I was still trying my hardest, that I was doing my best, but I had no basics, techniques, nor resolve."
"Hmm…"
His face had turned completely red from the shame but he still continued.
"It was rather late, but I finally returned to my senses thanks to you, Sir Raon. I'll even be a slave for you if you accept me. I'd like to catch this last opportunity presented to me while serving at your side."
He slammed his head on the ground as he finished. The entire room shook because of how hard he hit.
'He looks serious, but…'
Raon stroked the back of his neck and asked Wrath with his eyes.
'What do you think?'
His distorted eyes used to look like he was on drugs, but they've become clear now. He must be serious about this.
'What about the possibility of brainwashing?'
It's impossible to brainwash to that extent in a single day. There's no such fragrance of mana either. However, we can't be certain since an artifact could've achieved it.
Raon agreed with Wrath that Mark was serious, but he couldn't be certain.
It was a great opportunity to gain a novice Master subordinate, but he didn't want to make any hasty decisions, as they could prove harmful later on.
"I understand now why you are here, but I can't trust you unconditionally."
"I understand."
Mark Goetten lowered his head. He looked like a completely different soul from the day before. The drastic change was making it more difficult to trust him.
"I'll consider it. Please leave for now."
"Understood."
Mark Goetten nodded before heading to the door. He crawled all the way there, just like when he entered.
"Please walk!"
"Yes!"
He finally stood up after Raon asked him to walk and went outside.
"Haa…"
Raon shook his head before looking at Palen. She was still biting her dry lips, looking utterly terrified.
"Palen Sephia. Why did you come here?"
"I-I came to beg for forgiveness."
"What forgiveness?"
"I acted so arrogantly yesterday because I didn't know my place, and…"
Palen briefly interrupted herself and swallowed nervously. Her violently shaking eyes revealed her hesitation, but she decided to continue. It looked like she was engulfed by fear of something.
"I-I tried to assassinate you."
"Assassinate me?"
Raon's chin trembled.
'What? What is she planning?'
He had expected her to hire assassins, but he never thought she would confess her assassination plan. The fact that she told him about the assassination meant that she had revealed everything she had in mind.
"You were trying to assassinate me?"
"Yes, yes…"
Palen lowered her eyes and nodded. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Why did you reveal that? I wouldn't have known about it if you tried to hide it."
"I-I don't want to die."
"You don't want to die?"
"Yes. I-I'm going to die unless I reveal everything to you. No, I'd suffer pain even worse than death…"
"Who is supposed to kill you?"
"Th-the one with a cross in their eyes… Wh-who was it?"
Palen blankly stared into the air.
'Who was that?'
Even though the intense fear and pain made her want to bite her tongue and end herself, the only thing she remembered was the red cross in their eyes.
Her hair stood on end because of how frightening that was.
However, there was one thing she knew for sure.
What happened overnight wasn't a dream, and she might end up experiencing that fear and pain for the rest of her life if she didn't confess to Raon and ask for forgiveness.
"Th-that's not the important part! Please! Please forgive me!"
Palen said that whoever that was didn't matter and slammed her head on the ground again while rubbing her hands.
"Hmm…"
Raon raised his chin slightly while looking at Palen.
It stinks.
'Yes.'
Unlike Mark Goetten, who was enlightened on his own, someone else seemed to have interfered with Palen.
'I have two candidates…'
He had two guesses about the perpetrator.
It was either the group of assassins that she was trying to hire that threatened her instead, or… he didn't want to think about the second one.
"Who were you planning to request the assassination?"
"Th-they are called the Black Snake."
"Black Snake…"
Raon's eyes froze upon hearing the Black Snake's name.
'Is she really mentioning that name now?'
The Black Snake was the name used by Derus's underworld group of assassins, the Shadows, when they were involved with outsiders.
'You mean rat. You even tried to butt in with them.'
Raon could guess that Derus was trying to extend his influence to the succession war of the Sephia company.
Yonaan, the North, and now Sephia. His influence had reached all around the continent.
"Th-they shouldn't have gotten the request yet! I only asked to check the connection. I'll cancel it right awa—"
"No."
Raon slowly shook her head and stopped Palen.
"Continue that request."
"Yes. What?"
Palen raised her head in astonishment. Her wide eyes looked like they were about to explode from surprise.
"You were also planning to assassinate Dorian and the other siblings, weren't you?"
"I-I…"
"You should cancel the rest and keep going with the requests concerning me and Dorian."
"Why are you asking me to do that…?"
"You don't need to know about it."
Raon stood up and walked up to Palen. He grabbed her chin and met her eyes.
"You said you'd do anything, didn't you?"
"Ah…"
Palen's lips were trembling. The fear that had crushed her the day before had revived upon meeting the crimson eyes that burned like the sun.
No, her fear was even more intense. She was getting drenched with cold sweat because she felt like darkness was crushing her.
"I'll be looking forward to it."
"Yes…"
Since he was pretty much putting a slave collar around her neck, nodding was the only choice she had.
Raon asked the terrified Palen to leave before heading to the training ground where the spars took place the day before. There was no one inside since it was time for breakfast.
Th-the King of Essence doesn't want to go! You should go on your own!
Wrath started to whine while holding onto the door. He must've realized who Raon was trying to meet.
'I don't want to go either, but it can't be helped.'
It was necessary to meet that person to understand the situation.
Raon went under the tree where he felt the small presence the day before and created a small aura barrier. He prevented the sound from escaping before he looked upwards.
"You are there, aren't you?"
"Yes!"
A flying squirrel jumped out from a branch behind a leaf with a cheerful voice that could be described as silvery.
Uwaaaah!
Wrath screamed upon seeing Merlin inside the flying squirrel.
The madwoman! It really was the madwoman!
His lips trembled violently as he said that he couldn't figure out the difference between her and an ordinary animal.
"It was your doing, right?"
"Yes!"
It was ridiculous how brightly she responded. She seemed to have no intention of hiding it.
"Haa…"
Raon covered his forehead with his hand and sighed deeply.
'It really was Merlin's doing.'
He could guess because he briefly saw the flying squirrel the day before and Palen looked so terrified in the morning, and it was proven to be correct.
"Don't worry. I adjusted in a way that won't be harmful to you. No one is going to find out about my interference no matter what happens."
Merlin twisted her body left and right while fidgeting with her fingers. Raon realized that her voice sounded dreary, exhausted.
'Didn't you feel Merlin's presence at all yesterday?'
Not at all! He would have woken you up and asked you to run away if he did!
Wrath hid behind Raon's shoulder, calling her the true madwoman.
"How did you enter this place?"
"No one in the world is cautious about a cute squirrel."
Merlin smiled cheerfully while rubbing her head. Raon realized once again that she was way too good at expressing her emotions with an animal's face.
"The training ground is one thing, but there should be alarm magic around the mansion."
The central administration building had multiple alarm magics around it. Their guard became even stronger during the night, so Raon couldn't understand how she managed to enter.
"I analyzed the path I would take in advance since I knew you were going to come here. There are lots of holes in a large building like that."
"P-path…"
Raon rubbed his temple with his finger. The fact that she'd analyzed the path sounded way too scary.
"Even if there were holes, the alarm magic still should've…"
"The alarm magic catches the mana dwelling deep inside the target's body. This one only has an extremely small amount of mana, which makes it impossible to be found out."
Merlin gently continued, like a teacher giving a lesson to a child.
"Then how did you scare Palen?"
It was another question he had because of what Wrath had told him about Merlin's magic the day before.
"I cast a spell from this state."
Impossible!
Wrath jumped out from behind Raon's shoulder and violently shook his head.
She just mentioned that it has an extremely small amount of mana and that's true! There's no way she can cast a spell in that state!
He was right. The squirrel managed to bypass the alarm thanks to the small amount of mana it had, so Raon couldn't understand how she could cast any spell.
"I have. Over here."
Merlin pointed at the flying squirrel's chest.
"D-don't tell me…"
"Yes, vitality. I've inserted my vitality into all of the animals I've controlled before, and I used it instead of taking it back. You are so interested in what I did. It makes me happy."
Merlin laughed as she finished the sentence, and Raon's hair stood on end from the frightening sensation. He looked at Wrath with trembling lips.
I-it's theoretically possible. Converting vitality into mana isn't only possible for warriors. But vitality…
'Is a person's lifespan.'
Raon's heart tightened.
Just like how his previous opponent, Martio, enhanced his aura through vitality, magicians were also capable of creating high-purity mana with vitality.
Raon realized that the crazy woman had reduced her lifespan to make that happen.
"Are you seriously crazy or what?"
Raon shouted while grasping his head with his hands.
"Oh my! Are you worried about me?"
Merlin jumped down from the tree. She flew and landed on Raon's trembling hand.
"I'm happy…"
She blushed while touching Raon's finger with the flying squirrel's small hand.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine with melting away everything I have for your sake."
"Rather than that, how much lifespan did you lose?"
"Not that much. The invasion was effortless thanks to you, since you destroyed the wall surrounding her mind."
Merlin shook her hand, saying that it was less than a month.
"Don't do anything like that ever again. I might need your help at some point, but I won't allow you to lose your lifespan for it."
It wasn't because he liked Merlin. He just thought that he might become similar to Derus, who once treated Raon's life like a toy, if he kept taking advantage of her.
Even though it was Merlin's free will, he didn't want any similarity to Derus at all.
"You finally care about me."
Merlin's eyes curved into crescent shapes in happiness.
"I shall obey since you said so. Alright…"
She nodded with a deep smile on her face.
"This is driving me nuts."
Raon sighed while looking up to the sky.
She's not listening at all. Her insanity is on a whole different level…
Wrath's trembling eyes were the only things poking out from behind Raon. He seemed terrified at that point.
"What did you do to Mark Goetten?"
"I haven't done anything to him."
"What?"
"I didn't have enough time."
Merlin shrugged her shoulders, saying that it was true.
'Which means, he was…serious.'
He was apparently trying to follow him from the bottom of his heart.
"Was I helpful to you?"
Merlin smiled, with her hands placed on her waist.
"..."
Raon closed his eyes while looking at Merlin.
'She was actually helpful.'
She was extremely helpful, since she prevented the plot from happening, and even gave him an opportunity to reduce the Shadows' forces. However, it definitely was not worth reducing her lifespan.
"Yes. However, you didn't need to step up. Don't do it ever again."
"Yes. By the way…"
"What's the matter now?"
"I'm too excited because you care so much about me, and the connection is getting lost. I think I overexerted myself yesterday after all."
Merlin blushed even more, and her voice started to cut off.
"This one worked really hard. That's why…"
"I knew it, what shall I give this time?"
Raon looked at the flying squirrel with a smile. He was confident because he brought various types of feed for the squirrel in his subspace pocket.
"It wants some bird eggs and rotten meat."
"..."
"Did you hear me? It wants bird eggs and rotten meat. It also specified that it doesn't want chicken eggs."
"D-do squirrels actually eat such a thing?"
"Squirrels are omnivores, and their preference changes depending on the season. I leave it to you."
She disappeared right after. The affection in the squirrel's eyes faded away at once.
"Pee!"
The flying squirrel extended its hand, urging him for food.
"Ah, hmm, err…"
Raon looked into the subspace pocket, but he obviously didn't have any eggs or rotten meat.
"Y-you have a peculiar preference."
"Pee!"
The flying squirrel tapped on Raon's hand. It seemed to be telling him to shut up and give it to him already.
"So, erm…"
"Vice squad leader!"
While he was wondering what he should do, the training ground's door was opened and Dorian entered.
"My father invited us to dinner tonight! I think he's planning to give me the trial that he mentioned befo—"
"That's not important right now."
Raon shook his head and bobbed his hand at Dorian.
"Do you have any bird eggs right now? I want some small ones."
"Are you giving them to that guy?"
Dorian put his hand inside his belly pocket while looking at the flying squirrel on Raon's hand. Two cute and small bird eggs appeared in his hand after a short time.
"Pee!"
The flying squirrel happily jumped on Raon's hand.
"And do you have any rotten meat by any chance…?"
"Does it even eat something like that? How peculiar."
Dorian exclaimed while looking at the flying squirrel.
"Well, I guess it's too much to ask even for you."
Rano nodded. It was only natural. No one would be bringing rotten meat around no matter how much space they had.
"Which kind of rotten meat do you want? Beef? Pork? Chicken? I also have some duck meat."
Dorian took some vinyl packaged meats one after the other from his belly pocket.
"Y-you have them?"
"Of course I do. They are part of necessities."
"Why are they even…?"
What the hell…?
Wrath shook his head while looking back and forth between Dorian and the flying squirrel.
Why do you even have rotten meat on you?!
He screamed while grasping his head.
Why are there so many crazy humans in this era?!
* * *
Raon and Dorian answered Adis's invitation and participated in the dinner banquet. Even though they had arrived twenty minutes before the appointed time, the long rectangular table was already almost full.
'They seem to be the subordinates of the successor candidates.'
Just like Raon, who came with Dorian, the other candidates also had a couple of subordinates next to them. Raon could tell from the brilliance in their eyes that all of them were rather skilled.
"The man all the way at the end is my first brother."
Dorian came one step closer to him and whispered.
The middle-aged man sitting at the right side at the end had a bulky body like a beast man. His neatly trimmed beard and hair gave a level-headed impression despite his large body, which could've looked unintelligent.
'Of course, I know that person.'
Jeser Sephia.
Palen and Dialon didn't learn any martial arts or magic, but Jeser was famous as a warrior on top of as a merchant. He wasn't exactly a genius, but he was a special case since he managed to achieve a high realm with money.
'I heard there are no elixirs that he hasn't tried yet.'
Adis's legal wife raised him with extreme care, and that was why he ate all kinds of elixirs and took lessons from Master-tier warriors. That was probably why Raon could feel a huge amount of energy from him.
"..."
Jeser took a glance at him before turning his head away. He didn't seem too interested in Raon.
'He's just like Dorian said before.'
Unlike Palen and Dialon, who bullied him in the past, Jeser had completely ignored his existence according to his story. Considering how he was treating his younger brother who had returned after nine years, he still seemed to treat him as an outsider from the family.
'However… His skills are a real deal.'
It wasn't just his personal might. Even his faction and capital could be expected to be huge. He was the favorite to become the successor and the most dangerous person for them.
"W-welcome."
Palen stood up from her chair and bowed at him. Her expression seemed extremely awkward.
"I knew you would be present. Welcome."
Even though he said welcome, Dialon's eyes were extremely cold as he lowered his head.
"H-hello."
Dorian went to the center of the table and bowed.
"..."
"Yes."
"Yeah…"
Jeser didn't react at all, Dialon gave him a small nod, and Palen's shoulders were trembling.
"Let's go."
Raon sat at the end of the table where Dorian guided him.
"Haa…"
Dorian sighed while wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"I'm a bit nervous."
"It will be fine."
Raon chuckled and leaned his back in his chair.
The fragrance of those high-quality dishes is all around the place!
Wrath pulled his tongue out like a puppy. He must've smelled the food from somewhere.
Ask them to bring the food already! Land, sea, and air seem to all be present!
'They will bring them out when they are ready. Please calm down.'
Raon pushed Wrath's head to force him back into the bracelet, and the dining room door opened.
Thud!
Adis Sephia and the five great merchants who obeyed him made their entrance. Even though they couldn't use any martial arts, their huge presence was reaching the ceiling.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Everyone sitting at the table stood up and bowed to Adis.
"Greeting the president!"
"Thank you for accepting my invitation. Sit down."
Adis took the seat of honor in a disciplined manner and nodded at them.
"Yes."
"Thank you!"
The successor candidates and their subordinates sat in their seats.
Clap!
Adis clapped his hands, and the dining room's door was opened once again. The servants brought steaming dishes into the room.
Ooh!
Wrath exclaimed loudly and smiled happily.
It looks like we are eating first before getting started!
'Indeed.'
Considering that the food was brought out before anything else, Raon figured that they were planning to dine before talking about the trial.
What a great choice, befitting the father of the King of Essence's subordinate!
Wrath's eyes sparkled with desire as he watched the dishes being placed on the table.
Start by eating the truffle soup over there. Let's warm the stomach with soup before we start the real war…
"I'll explain the reason I called everyone while the food is being laid out."
While Wrath was deciding on the order of the food in happiness, Adis's quiet voice resounded throughout the dining room.
"I'm going to give a trial to all of you."
The dining room was getting slightly noisy but fell silent upon hearing his emotionless voice, which almost sounded coldhearted.
'Is he really saying this now?'
He had released the tension and brought it back up right after. He really was an extraordinary person.
'Interesting.'
Raon's entertained gaze was directed at Adis.
Ah…
Wrath's shoulders shrunk like a poor little thing, and he couldn't take his eyes off of the food.
Th-the food is getting cold…