Glenn turned around completely. The smile on his face became as hazy as mist.
"Before we talk about that interesting proposal, something you just said is bothering me."
"What would it be…?"
Raon's fingers trembled as he met Glenn's displeased eyes.
"That you are immature. You look far too mature to me."
Glenn shook his head, saying that Raon had never looked his age, not even as a child.
"That's because I've been suppressing it."
Raon scratched his chin while smiling awkwardly.
'It would be strange if I was still immature.'
He'd been living as an assassin at the age where he should've been held in his parents' arms.
Since he'd been living a life even worse than a slave before being born as Raon Zieghart, it couldn't be helped that he was different from other children.
"You are suppressing it?"
"Since I'm well aware of my situation, I didn't want my mother and the others to be concerned about me."
He looked at the ground while saying the most suitable thing for the situation.
"I see…"
Glenn quietly groaned and touched his lips with his finger. Strangely, his voice was revealing his emotions.
"So, what's that interesting proposal you mentioned?"
He changed the topic, almost like he was trying to refresh the mood.
"I'd like to mess with the Thespian Emperor's plan."
"Mess with the Thespian Emperor's plan?"
"Yes. The Thespian Emperor is currently twisting public opinion on her way to Zieghart so we won't be able to harm her or the White Whale. It's easy to figure out her intentions, but destroying her plans is difficult."
"Correct."
Glenn furrowed his brow. He looked like he didn't like the Thespian Emperor's method either.
"In fact, Zieghart's moves are bound to be limited since the rumor about her lone arrival has already spread. However, it will be no fun if we do nothing about it and let her do as she wishes. Even if we have to return the prisoners, we need to get as much as possible from her and humiliate her."
"Humiliate?"
"My lord, the palace masters, and the Heavenly Blade division leader can't do anything reckless considering their reputations, positions, and ages. Countless houses and kingdoms might criticize us for a single mistake. However…"
Raon continued while looking at Glenn's eyes, who seemed interested once again.
"That's not the case for me. My position and achievements are high enough to participate in the meeting, but I'm still too young. I'm at the age where I should be making lots of mistakes and acting arrogantly."
"Mistakes and arrogance, huh."
Glenn nodded with a faint smile on his face.
"Are you talking about the way you recently made fun of Ayad?"
"Yes. I'd like to try a little more hateful version of that."
"…That indeed sounds interesting."
"Yes, it will definitely be interesting."
Raon and Glenn looked at each other with the exact same smile on their faces.
"Ahem!"
Glenn was the first one to avert his gaze and clear his throat.
"Alright, you can join the meeting."
"Thank you. May I ask one more thing?"
"What is it?"
"I think I'll have to interfere with the conversation between my lord and the Thespian Emperor. Is that fine?"
Raon lowered his head. It was an important request since he had to act that way in order to hold the Thespian Emperor in check.
"It's normal for children to grow up while causing problems. Since you've been far too precocious since childhood, it wouldn't be strange for you to experience puberty now."
Glenn chuckled and nodded. Since he was practically allowing Raon to do anything he wanted in the audience chamber, there was nothing more to fear.
Wow!
Wrath applauded at Glenn.
That's our grandpa for you! You didn't even hesitate!
He nodded in satisfaction while exclaiming at him.
'He's not your grandfather.'
Don't mind the small details.
'Small details…'
Raon had the urge to kick Wrath away because of how ridiculous he was being, but he couldn't do that since he would have looked like a madman from Glenn's perspective.
"See you at the meeting then."
Glenn waved his hand and turned around.
"I'll be looking forward to your immature actions."
"I won't disappoint you."
Raon bowed at Glenn as he left. He kept watching him until he couldn't be seen anymore, and a frightening smile appeared on his face.
"I'll need to contact the Black Market."
* * *
Once Raon returned to his room, Wrath pointed at the ice cream box with his plump finger.
Open it up before it melts!
'It won't melt since this box is made from a freezing stone.'
Whatever! Just open it already! He's curious about what flavor Grandpa picked for us!
Wrath grinned happily, saying that Grandpa was the only one who cared for him.
"Haa, okay, okay."
Raon shook his head and opened the ice cream box. The white, hazy cold air started to rise, and the four bead ice creams could be seen.
All of the ice creams had the same color. They were dark brown like well-baked bread.
Huh?
Wrath's jaw dropped, his expression that of disappointment.
Th-there's no mint chocolate. Moreover, they all have the same flavor! Grandpa, what's wrong with your taste?
He became dejected, disappointed by the fact that it wasn't the flavor he wanted and that they all had the same flavor.
Ugh, it can't be helped. He will be satisfied by the fact that they are bead ice cream!
Wrath looked like he'd decided to be satisfied that he was having some bead ice cream because he hadn't gotten any for more than a month.
Let's try it out for now. What could the flavor be?
'Hmm, this… Huh?'
Raon widened his eyes while looking at the lid.
'…Those are bread flavored.'
Bread? Bread is fine! So, what bread is it? Pineapple pizza? Pepperoni pizza bread? No, the classic ones like the sweet red bean or cream are pretty nice too! What flavor…
'Nadine bread.'
Ehh?
Wrath stopped smiling and rolled his eyes. He looked like a ghost with no glimmer of life.
What did you just say…?
'They are Nadine bread flavored.'
Raon laughed bitterly upon seeing the drastic change in Wrath and responded to his question.
St-stop lying! Why would anyone ever make ice cream out of that stupid bread that tastes like rubber?! It doesn't make any sense!
'Well, there are lots of peculiar ice creams.'
It was just Wrath who'd never picked them, but the ice cream shop had many new products with bizarre tastes.
But Nadine bread is going way too far! It just tastes like rubber! There's no one in the world who would like that shit!
'I'm fine with it.'
Your tongue is just perverted!
'The head of house also likes it.'
That geezer is just as perverted as you!
'But you called him grandpa before…'
Kuaah!
Wrath screamed while grasping his head.
Kill! Who made that ice cream? Just say the name!
His fingers trembled as he declared that he was going to find them and strangle them to death.
'Let's try them out, just in case.'
Hmm, you are right.
Wrath briefly nodded. He seemed to think that there should be some sweetness since it was still ice cream.
Raon picked up a bead ice cream while looking at the crumpled expression on Wrath's face. He immediately put it in his mouth without feeling repulsed by it, since he'd had lots of Nadine bread before.
'Oh.'
The rubber taste instantly spread throughout the mouth and the sticky bitterness followed. It was exactly like Nadine bread, except for it being cold since it was an ice cream.
However, the sweetness that Wrath had wanted was nowhere to be found.
Kuaah…
Wrath dropped to the ground as his expectations were destroyed. He frantically rubbed his tongue with teary eyes.
N-not like this! This shouldn't be called ice cream!
"Hmm, what a perfect taste."
Raon nodded in satisfaction while looking at the bead ice cream.
"They perfectly recreated the taste of Nadine bread. I like it."
S-save me. Please…
Wrath stretched his hand towards the sky while crawling on the ground.
Everyone around here has shit on their tongues!
Glenn entered the conference room after talking with Raon.
Roenn, Sheryl, and Chad were waiting inside and stood up upon seeing him.
"My lord."
The three of them tried to bow, but Glenn shook his hand and took the upper seat.
"How is the progress?"
"We've been discussing it for a while, but there's no good solution."
Sheryl furrowed her brow while glaring at the center of the table.
"It will be a big problem if we stop or attack the Thespian Emperor when she's coming to Zieghart on her own."
She slammed the table with her fist to vent her frustration.
"Indeed."
Chad nodded.
"According to the informant observing the Thespian Emperor, most of the public opinion is favorable to her. And their number keeps increasing too."
He sighed, saying that lots of people were even following her.
"This is a nasty case."
Roenn briefly clicked his tongue. It was rare, coming from him.
"It would've been easy to take care of her if she wanted a fight, but we even have to eliminate assassins for her instead."
His finger twitched below the table because of the annoying situation.
"Fame and reputation can be bothersome at times like this."
Chad nodded in agreement.
"We were bound to be checkmated since the White Whale made their first move and we are under the Six Kings name. We will have to return the imprisoned warriors, and we won't be able to get much in return. However…"
The smile appearing on Glenn's face was as faint as the waning moonlight entering from the window.
"It looks like something interesting might happen."
"Something interesting?"
"What do you mean by that…?"
Sheryl and Chad widened their eyes.
"Ah!"
Roenn smiled faintly while looking at Glenn.
"You were with the Light Wind vice division leader until a moment ago. Is it something he did?"
"I wonder."
Glenn closed his eyes and let them imagine whatever they wanted.
"Is this about Raon? What did he do?"
"I'm also curious."
Sheryl and Roenn came right next to Glenn and asked him what Raon had told him.
"I don't know either. We will find out when that happens."
Glenn shook his head with complete trust in his words.
"But you should have an idea."
"Huhuhu."
Roenn's eyes curved into a smile as he watched Glenn's violently twitching lips.
"Did he like that gift?"
"He didn't seem to dislike him. He likes Nadine bread, after all."
Glenn calmly nodded.
"What's going on? Why are you talking just between you? I also want to know!"
Sheryl squeezed in between Glenn and Roenn and demanded them to tell her about Raon.
"Hmm."
Once again, Chad resolved himself while watching the three whose smiles had returned from talking about Raon.
'I need to get on Sir Raon's good side if I want to keep living here. I should bring him a gift tomorrow. And it will be Nadine bread of the highest quality.'
* * *
Zieghart's Underground Prison
Third Level Interrogation Room
"Kuh…"
"Ugh!"
The Sickle of the Bloody Cloud and the White Wolf Saber were violently trembling while groaning in pain like their blood was welling up to their throats.
They rolled their eyes to look at their right side amid extreme pain.
Raon Zieghart was sitting on a chair and reading a book.
'Wh-what the hell is wrong with him?!'
'Why did he suddenly come here and start torturing us?!'
Raon hadn't visited for a while, but he just arrived and started to torture them without asking any questions. They'd never seen anyone as crazy as him.
'You fucking demon…'
'Even a demon would talk before doing this!'
The White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud watched Raon, who was reading a book, with trembling lips.
Their hearts were shrinking just from being in the same place as him.
Many torturers and interrogators had visited them after Raon's visit, but he was the worst fiend of them all.
'I-I'm going to die at this rate.'
'Where did he even learn this method of torture…?'
The pain of breaking bones and muscles wasn't the only problem of Raon's torture.
The itchy and stinging sensations of thousands of insects crawling and biting on their bodies. Moreover, the freezing and burning pain of the skin was added because of the alternating explosions of coldness and heat.
They were trained to endure torture, but there was no way they could endure Raon's method.
'Pl-please ask a question already.'
'I'm ready to answer anything you want!'
Since they'd already confessed about the dragon mask, they were fully prepared to leak all secrets.
They were even saddened by the fact that Raon wasn't asking anything at that point because they were so ready to answer every question.
'Ah…'
'I-I'm reaching my limit.'
The White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud started to foam at the mouth. The sound of flipping pages stopped right before they fainted.
"I learn new things whenever I read it."
Raon smiled faintly while closing the Azure Sky Sword's book.
"Huaa…"
"Eeh…"
He returned the book to his clothes and looked down at the groaning people.
The White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud's trembling eyes were pleading with him to stop.
Raon casually snapped his fingers, and the bind of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier's energies disappeared at once.
"Huaah!"
"Kuh…"
The White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud started to retch while coughing up their souls.
"Wh-what the hell is wrong with you? Why did you just…"
The White Wolf Saber was the first to return to his senses, and he raised his head. His pronunciation was ruined because of his stiff tongue.
"I just wanted to check if you forgot about me."
Raon smiled cheerfully and waved his hand.
"Awwh…"
They looked like they were facing a real demon as their chins trembled.
"Just kidding. I have a question for you."
"Wh-what is that question…?"
"I got interested in what kind of person the Thespian Emperor is since she abandoned you as the leader of the White Whale."
Raon smiled while purposefully emphasizing the part where she'd abandoned them.
"Hmm…"
The White Wolf Saber shuddered while furrowing his brow.
"You wouldn't have noticed since you've been underground all along, but more than two months have passed. We've received no contact whatsoever about what to do with you."
"Ah…"
"Oh no!"
The Sickle of the Bloody Cloud and the White Wolf Saber's eyes trembled even more violently as they believed the lie that two months had passed.
"That's why I got curious."
Raon coldly stared at them.
"What kind of person is the cold-blooded woman called the Thespian Emperor?"
Being oppressive all the time wasn't the best way to get information during torture. Just like giving a carrot after a stick, it was better to soften their hearts from time to time to get the best information.
But she's coming to save them.
'Yes, but they don't know that.'
Information was completely cut off inside the underground prison. Since even the prison guards never said anything, there was no way they knew about the Thespian Emperor.
Wh-what the hell is wrong with you…?
Wrath's chin trembled in fear.
"So, what is the Thespian Emperor's personality? She seems to be a coldhearted and decisive person."
The White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud didn't answer right away. They remained silent for a moment before their dry lips finally parted.
"She's a frightening person."
"Frightening?"
"Yes. She knows everything. That's why she's extremely decisive, like you said. What can be done can be done, and what can't be done can't be done. She knows that for sure before she acts."
The White Wolf Saber closed his eyes while chewing his lip.
"Th-that's true. Most things go according to her predictions whenever we are on a mission."
The Sickle of the Bloody Cloud nodded while supporting the White Wolf Saber's claim.
"Hmm."
Raon nodded.
'So, she has a strategist's personality.'
Those capable of predicting the future were usually decisive. There was a coldhearted side to them, and they were able to throw others away without hesitation if things didn't go according to their wishes. The Thespian Emperor seemed to be the same.
'In that case, she should be easy to break through.'
Level-headed people weren't afraid of smart people but crazy people. Since a madman was completely unpredictable and couldn't be talked sense to, it was pretty much an intellectual's natural counter. Raon figured he could proceed according to the plan.
"Then did she predict my interference?"
"Sh-she did mention Zieghart's arrival."
The Sickle of the Bloody Cloud shook his head, saying that she'd told him about the White Lotus division's arrival, but not the Light Wind division.
"What about you?"
"She asked me to bring them back but never mentioned your name…"
The White Wolf Saber said that she'd told him to get the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud back as fast as possible since it was dangerous.
"I see."
Raon narrowed his eyes while touching his chin.
'She knew about the White Lotus division's movements but didn't manage to predict me. Why is that? Is there anything special with me, or did she make a mistake?'
It was most likely a mistake, but it was possible that he couldn't be predicted by her.
'Because she's supposed to read the flow of heaven.'
He looked around at Wrath, who was still frowning. Since Wrath was with him, and he'd gotten the power of two other demon kings, he could've become an alien existence in the world.
"I have a few other questions."
Raon asked what the Thespian Emperor had done in the past to the White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud, who were terrified and felt betrayed at the same time, to analyze her personality.
When he managed to get a good amount of information, Dorian approached him from behind.
"Vice division leader. Sh-she's here. She is at the Snow Cloud Rock right now."
"I see."
Raon nodded and stood up.
'It will take about two hours until she arrives.'
It took about two hours for an adult man to walk from Snow Cloud Rock to Zieghart. The Thespian Emperor was arriving soon.
"I need to go now."
"Err…"
The Sickle of the Bloody Cloud and the White Wolf Saber widened their eyes.
"Wh-who is coming…?"
"Who else? Your master is coming."
Since he'd already extracted everything he wanted to know, he told them about the Thespian Emperor's arrival.
"I heard she's coming to save you."
"Wh-what?!"
"But you said earlier that there was no contact!"
"That's true. She never said anything about you. She just said she wanted to visit."
The Thespian Emperor had simply announced her visit in her message. She must've been careful and avoided mentioning the topic until her arrival.
"You!"
"Raon Zieghart! You bastard!"
"I need to go now since I need to get ready."
Raon cheerfully waved his hand and turned around.
"You demon!"
"Demon king! He's a demon king! That's the only way to explain his personality!"
They barked even louder to overcome their fears against Raon.
What are you talking about?!
Wrath frowned while looking back at them.
Don't compare this psychopath to good people like demon kings!
'...'