The Thespian Emperor's eyes became distorted, as if they were being crushed by a hammer. Her trembling lips slightly parted and a quiet voice came out from her.
"How do you kn—"
She quickly realized her mistake and shut her mouth, but Raon didn't miss that instant.
"So it was true."
Raon clenched his fist with a cold smile on his face.
'It worked.'
She hadn't finished talking, but it was enough of an answer. The testimony of her meeting with someone wearing a dragon helmet was true.
'Is this the result of acting like a punk?'
It was worth getting on her nerves since she entered the audience chamber after seeing her indomitable spirit being destroyed for a moment.
"Tell us now, what's your relationship with Eden?"
The executives reacted to his question instead of the Thespian Emperor.
Rumble!
The palace masters and the division leaders silently drew their swords and surrounded the Thespian Emperor. They created a current similar to a sword formation without even talking to each other and started pressuring her.
"Are you a demon from Eden?"
"Don't move."
"How dare you come to Zieghart with something fishy behind you?"
That was from Karoon, Denier, and Balder. The three palace masters placed their swords on the Thespian Emperor's neck with frightening and hostile pressures.
Raon had been thinking that Karoon and Balder were nothing but a hindrance, but they were kind of dependable in that situation.
Even they seemed to prioritize the house above anything else.
Whir!
The same went for the division leaders. They blocked the Thespian Emperor's retreat to assist the palace masters and were pointing their swords at her.
Rumble!
She didn't lower herself even though all of the palace masters and division leaders' pressures were weighing upon her.
An oppressive energy surged like a tide from under her feet.
"You're leaving me with no out."
She rolled her lips into a smile. It was a look of the one who'd transcended their emotions. She must've calmed herself down and pulled herself together in that short period of time.
"You should speak carefully."
The Thespian Emperor looked at the platform upon hearing Glenn's frightening voice.
"Because I cannot let you go if you are related to Eden."
"Hmm…"
Her eyes revealed her nervousness for the first time.
"I have no intention of fighting here."
The Thespian Emperor slowly raised her hands and shook her head. A cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
"I admit that I've met a man wearing a dragon helmet before."
She calmly closed her eyes.
"However, we aren't related in any way. He was just a client who'd visited the White Whale to buy information."
"A client?"
"Everyone here should be well aware of it, but the White Whale trades both the power and information."
The executives gave her a small nod. All of them seemed to be aware of that fact.
"He visited me personally to buy information, and I sold him the information he wanted. Our relationship was nothing but that of a merchant and their client."
The Thespian Emperor grabbed her sleeve, saying that she hadn't seen that man again after selling that information.
"What does that helmet look like?"
Glenn asked, his gaze frightening.
"Hmm…"
The Thespian Emperor let out a small groan upon hearing his question.
"So the lord of Zieghart knows about the Heavenly Demon."
She slowly nodded.
"Heavenly Demon?"
"What is the Heavenly Demon?"
"Hmm…"
The division leaders furrowed their brows. They didn't seem to know about the Heavenly Demon.
"..."
However, the three palace masters seemed to know about it, and they released even stronger pressures at the Thespian Emperor.
"Heavenly Demon…"
Raon tilted his head and the Thespian Emperor continued.
"Eden's objective is restoration. They want to return to ancient times. Do you know what time exactly that is?"
The Thespian Emperor looked at Raon. She continued with a smile that didn't seem right for some reason.
"It's when the world used to be a hell with endless wars between humans and monsters. It was the time when the demonic dragon tried to devour the world. It's also when Zieghart's first head became famous."
"Demonic dragon…"
Raon swallowed nervously.
'I've heard about it before.'
There was a legend about the worst and strongest demonic dragon that even devoured other dragons, and it supposedly tried to destroy the entire human realm.
Even the demons were rampaging around back then, and people's lives were a living hell. The story must've been true according to what she'd said.
"Eden's ultimate goal is to revive that demonic dragon. Some of the people here should be already aware of that fact, and the others will find out in the future."
The Thespian Emperor nodded while saying that it wasn't a cheap piece of information.
"That man wearing the demonic dragon's helmet is called the Heavenly Dragon by Eden. They want him to become the demonic dragon one day and paint the sky with darkness. He hasn't shown himself in the world yet, but you should know about him, lord of Zieghart."
She smiled at Glenn.
'I see.'
Raon's lips trembled as he listened to the Thespian Emperor.
'So the Heavenly Demon was the other leader of Eden.'
There were many rumors about Eden having another leader other than the Fallen, and they must've been the Heavenly Demon.
"The dragon helmet worn by the Heavenly Demon has red scales, black horns, and demonic eyes, with the sclera and iris being reversed. However…"
The Thespian Emperor licked her dry lips.
"The man with the dragon helmet who came to see me was different from that. The scales were silver and the horns were blue. The helmet's appearance was also different from the demonic dragon's characteristics."
She shook her head, saying that even she wasn't aware of his identity.
"What information did he buy?"
Glenn quietly stared into her eyes. He seemed to be trying to read her intentions.
"Despite my unsightly behavior today, I'm still a merchant who deals with information. I can't tell others about what information my clients buy."
The Thespian Emperor straightened her spine. Her confidence spread around her, just like when she first made her entrance.
"One thing I can say for sure is that the information he bought wasn't related to the Six Kings and the Five Demons."
The Thespian Emperor guaranteed that it wasn't anything that could be harmful to Zieghart.
'That woman…'
Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the Thespian Emperor.
'She's even more amazing than I'd thought.'
He was surprised at how well she was responding in such a pressing situation. Raon figured he would need to change how much danger she posed in his mind.
"And why should I believe you?"
Glenn looked down on the Thespian Emperor. His red eyes were wrapped in cold dignity.
"There is no reason to. However, I swear on my and the White Whale's name that it is not a lie."
The Thespian Emperor took out a white tablet from her clothes. The mythical creature, the White Whale that supposedly cruised around the ocean and sky, was engraved on the round bit of candidium.
"If what I said is revealed to be false in the future, you may bring that tablet forward and cut my throat."
She narrowed her eyes, saying that she wasn't just trying to get out of the predicament.
'She doesn't seem to be lying…'
Raon swallowed nervously while looking at the tablet she was handing out.
'I wonder what's going to happen next?'
If Glenn had information about another dragon helmet other than the Heavenly Demon, the Thespian Emperor should be able to safely leave Zieghart. But if he didn't, a fight between them was going to break out.
'Regardless of the case, attacking her right now isn't too good for us.'
Everything was going so well with the people who were held hostages by the Black Tower starting to spread the rumors about the White Whale's evil deeds. However, it was all going to be in vain if the Thespian Emperor was injured or killed.
It wasn't the right time to attack her.
Whir.
Just as Raon was thinking about how he should react to each scenario, the White Whale tablet that the Thespian Emperor had been holding floated into the air and entered Glenn's grasp.
"I'll believe you for now. However…"
The tablet was turned into ash in an instant and scattered into the air from Glenn's hand.
The display of power that could destroy the candidium in an instant was truly beyond human limits.
"Regardless of this tablet, I'll erase the White Whale's name from the face of this continent if you are proven to be lying."
"…I'll bear that in mind."
The Thespian Emperor nodded with trembling shoulders. She seemed to be frightened by Glenn's overwhelming pressure.
"Hmm…"
Raon rubbed the back of his hand while watching Glenn's serious eyes.
'Does this mean that there's another dragon helmet other than the Heavenly Demon?'
The helmet was silver and the horns were blue. Raon had a feeling that he'd seen that combination before.
"Sheathe your swords."
The palace masters and the division leaders sheathed their swords and stepped back upon hearing his order.
"Haa…"
The Thespian Emperor sighed faintly and shook her sleeve. Her clothes were completely drenched, showing that the situation was nervous even for her.
"I'll guide you out."
Roenn walked up to the Thespian Emperor and smiled as if the tension had never happened.
"Light Wind vice division leader."
The Thespian Emperor looked at Raon instead of following Roenn.
"It was my loss this time. I was thoroughly defeated."
Her eyes looked completely dry, but her fervor was ignited like dying embers.
"I'm looking forward to our next encounter."
"I don't really want to see you again, though."
Raon shrugged his shoulders, saying that he wasn't interested in her.
"Wait a moment."
Raon opened his hand when the Thespian Emperor was about to leave with a furrowed brow.
"You should visit the building on the right after leaving the lord's manor."
"The building on the right?"
"Yes. You should get new shoes before leaving. They should provide you with them if you ask about them there."
Raon pointed at the Thespian Emperor's shoes with a cheerful smile. According to his experience, it was better to continue until the very end once he decided to provoke someone.
Creak.
The Thespian Emperor's face was red from the boiling rage that she'd barely managed to suppress and ground her teeth before leaving the audience chamber.
Thud.
The audience chamber remained silent despite the huge noise of the closing iron door.
"Hmm…"
"Err…"
The palace masters and the division leaders dropped their jaws, revealing their surprise at how Raon one-sidedly prevailed against the Thespian Emperor.
"Hmm…"
"It looks like everything went well somehow."
"I-indeed."
"It went pretty well."
"I didn't expect this to happen, though."
The executives nodded, satisfied with the Thespian Emperor's defeat. Even Balder was smiling among them.
Raon looked at Wrath under the surprised and commending gazes.
He was about to thank him for keeping quiet, but Wrath was actively moving his hand with his back against Raon.
'What are you doing?'
He's taking notes.
He was indeed writing something on his round hand.
'What are you writing?'
It's about the method you used to make fun of other humans. It was insanely effective, to the point where even the King of Essence had to admit it. GET. NEW. SHOES.
He was writing down the words down one letter at a time while repeating what Raon had just told the Thespian Emperor.
COME FASTER. Telling them to come faster will never fail to make them angry.
'That's not true, though…'
It could only provoke the opponent because it was used in an appropriate situation. Just randomly saying that would've been completely meaningless.
'That's not how you use that line…'
Shut up, the King of Essence is studying. He's going to overcome human limits just like you!
Wrath shook his hand, telling Raon to stop talking to him.
'But you aren't human to begin with…'
Raon shook his head, and Rimmer came up next to him.
"What the hell are you? Where did you even learn to do something like that?"
"Who else? I have the perfect example of an immature adult right next to me."
Raon pointed at Rimmer.
"Me? I am not as crazy as you! You were literally a goddamn punk just now!"
"No, I wasn't any worse than you, division leader."
Raon shook his head in denial.
"Hmm, I guess it doesn't matter either way since that's not the important part right now."
Rimmer chuckled and waved his hand at Glenn.
"My lord!"
He grinned while pointing at the mountain of treasures that the Thespian Emperor had left behind.
"The additional goods we managed to get thanks to Raon should go to him, right?"
Glenn's lips twitched upon hearing it.
"Division leader, I…"
Raon was about to shake his hand and tell him that he didn't need it when messages appeared in front of his eyes.
* * *
Ariel left the lord's manor after Roenn, and her subordinates—including the White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud—were waiting for her.
Their outfits were similar to before, but their eyes were devoid of life, like those of an old lion.
'Those motherfuckers…'
She wanted to smash their heads in because they had leaked information to Raon, but she had to suppress the urge because they were still in Zieghart.
"B-boss."
"I'm sorry!"
The White Wolf Saber and the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud bowed to Ariel and begged for forgiveness upon seeing the frightening look in her eyes.
"Get up. We shouldn't discuss that here."
"Huh?"
Ariel shook her hand and made them stand back up, and the White Wolf Saber's jaw dropped.
"Boss, there's blood on your mouth…"
She touched her lips while listening to him. Her lip was covered in blood, which was flowing from her mouth.
'I'm not bleeding from the mouth. It's an internal injury.'
She'd gotten an internal injury because she was exposed to real pressures under a huge mental shock. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Raon had inflicted that wound on her.
'Damn it.'
It wasn't anything serious, but she was still irritated because it required some recuperation.
Ariel shook her hand at the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud and the White Wolf Saber.
"Follow me, since we need to return right now. Just tell them that you don't know anything."
She had to act as fast as possible in order to stop the rumors from the people that Raon had released. There was no time to talk.
She was heading towards Zieghart's main gate, and the swordsmen she'd seen when she entered were still standing there with commoners who hadn't learned any martial arts behind them.
"You didn't save the hostages? What were you even thinking?"
"You are no different from the Five Demons at that point!"
"Rename yourselves to the Five Divine Demons!"
"Thespian Emperor? Hero? Bullshit!"
The Zieghart residents behind the swordsmen were blaming them since they had already heard the rumor about the Thespian Emperor and the White Whale.
The Thespian Emperor bit her lip and quickly walked towards the main gate.
"Are you leaving already?"
The external commander, Illiune, was standing in front of the gate, and he waved his hand with a bright expression on his face—a contrast to their first encounter.
"I am. Please open the gate."
"Sure."
He shook his hand with a satisfied expression, and the gate slowly opened.
"Haa…"
The Thespian Emperor sighed. As soon as she left the gate, the people who'd followed her until Zieghart came running at her and blocked her path.
"Thespian Emperor!"
"What's the meaning behind this?!"
"They said you did nothing when people were taken away by the demonized humans!"
"Tell me it's not true!"
Her followers gathered their hands, praying for her to deny the statement. Zieghart's residents, who'd been staying behind her, also came outside and started to criticize her.
"I wish you a good journey."
She turned around upon hearing a frivolous voice, and Illiune was grinning at her from above the walls.
"Ugh…"
The Thespian Emperor forced herself to swallow the blood overflowing from her throat and clenched her teeth.
'Raon Zieghart, you can have this round. But next time…'