Chapter 607

“Hmm…”

Raon narrowed his eyes, checking the front and back of the brown paper.

What are you doing?

Wrath wrinkled his nose while looking down at the paper.

Why are you acting so serious for no reason while looking at an empty piece of paper? Go outside already and finish the toast you were eating!

He briskly turned his head around, showing that he had no interest in the paper.

‘Unfortunately, this paper isn’t blank.’

You are delusional. What are you even talking about? Nothing is written on it!

Wrath was right, as there were no letters nor drawings on the paper, but it was because it was special paper.

‘Did you already forget?’

Forget about what?

‘You’ll understand once you see it.’

Raon left the annex building and stood in front of the lake. He lifted the brown piece of paper towards the moon, which was in the middle of the sky because it was past midnight.

The faint moonlight brushed past the brown paper, and letters appeared, nearly dancing across the blank page.

Ah!

Wrath clapped his hands loudly, finally realizing it.

It was from the first encounter with her!

‘Correct.’

Raon nodded, lifting the paper above his head so that it would get enough moonlight.

‘It’s the piece of paper I saw when I learned about Judiel’s identity.’

Back then, Judiel got caught while trying to deliver the information about the annex building to Karoon by making the paper float on the lake.

He’d pretended to plant a fake rage worm after that and took her as his subordinate after learning her circumstances.

‘And she is my first subordinate ever.’

The Light Wind division had also become his subordinates, but Judiel was the very first person he’d taken under his wings.

He would never abandon her as long as she didn’t betray him.

Raon lowered the brown paper upon confirming that no more letters were appearing. The polished writing looked like it was devoid of any emotion. He could feel Judiel’s personality from it.

[Sir Raon, you must be the only person who can read this letter.]

His name was written on the first line, implying that Judiel had expected that situation.

[However, I hope you won’t find this letter.]

She hoped I didn’t find it?

Raon couldn’t understand why she would leave a letter, hoping that he wouldn’t find it.

[Even if I said that I need some time for my personal circumstances, Sir Raon should be able to figure it out. I’ll be honest.]

Raon quickly lowered his eyes, thinking that the point was coming.

[The Black Market messaged me, saying that they seemed to have found my brother.]

Raon bit his lip, looking at Judiel’s composed letter.

‘I knew it…’

The reason Judiel was still alive, why she was working under Karoon, and why she took my hand, was all because of the only blood relative she had left in the world.

He could imagine that situation the moment he’d heard that she went on holiday without telling anything to him.

[Please don’t worry about it since it’s not certain yet. I’m just going to confirm if he really is my brother.]

He felt like he could hear Judiel’s emotionless voice as she told him not to worry about her.

[I have no intention of doing anything right away even if he really is my brother. I’m going to return and tell you about it first, Sir Raon.

It will take some time since it’s quite far away. Please wait while focusing on your training. After all, you have something you need to do. Sincerely, Judiel.]

In the end, Judiel’s name marked the end of the letter without mentioning the location.

“Hmm…”

Raon furrowed his brow while lowering the letter.

‘I have a bad feeling about this…’

The fact that there was no emotion at all in the letter made him even more worried.

‘Because she might explode.’

Judiel didn’t usually show her feelings.

Since her family had been the only purpose of her life, she could end up doing something without caring about herself once she met her brother.

Why did she go on her own?

Wrath shook his head, unable to understand.

Since you promised her that you would find her brother no matter what, she just needed to ask you.

‘She didn’t decide not to tell me about it.’

Raon sighed, reading the letter one more time.

Then what?

‘She couldn’t tell me.’

Raon remembered when Judiel had come to his room after his return party.

He’d told her that he needed to train in preparation for the duel to the death against the Axe King, and she had cheered for him with a mask on her face, just like during their first encounter.

Crack.

Raon clenched his fist so powerfully that his hand turned red.

“Damn it!”

Judiel had left alone without saying anything about her brother to avoid disturbing his training.

He could finally understand why her reaction felt slightly off. It was because she cared about him more than herself.

You idiot!

Wrath pointed a finger at him and called him an idiot even though he hadn’t realized it either.

‘Yes, I’m an idiot. I should’ve visited her.’

He should’ve visited Judiel even though he was reunited with the Light Wind division after a long time and Glenn was training him. His mind was filled with regret.

So what are you going to do now?

Raon burnt the letter with the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, and his eyes turned serious.

‘I’m going to follow.’

Regardless of where she’d gone, he had to follow her and bring her brother back.

It was the first promise he’d made with another person after becoming Raon Zieghart. It was far more important than training.

‘However, before then…’

Raon bit his lip slightly, facing the moonlight quietly shining down upon the world.

‘I need to start by gathering information.’

* * *

A dry voice shouted from under a king sea serpent’s skin, its dangerous gaze almost making it look like it was still alive.

“Boss!”

The old man’s skin was dark, as if he had been tanned under the sun for his entire life, and he knelt under the stairs that were covered in the king sea serpent’s skin.

“The head elder of the union and a former party boss died! Why are you not doing anything about it?”

The dark-skinned old man raised his head sharply, shedding tears despite his appearance.

“Haa.”

The eyes of the South-North Union’s boss emerged from the darkness and lowered towards the old man.

“Kuyan, you must’ve heard about it as well. The head elder lost a one-on-one duel to the death. What’s even there to take revenge on?”

The South-North Union’s boss shook his head, shaking the ashes from his cigarette.

“Even though we are pirates and bandits, we are still warriors at the core. We can’t complain about losing in a proper one-on-one duel.”

“How could that be? Raon Zieghart was the first to pick a fight with us!”

The old man called Kuyan furrowed his brow deeply, refusing to accept it.

“That’s also laughable.”

The South-North Union’s boss laughed at his ridiculous argument.

“We could’ve complained if Raon Zieghart came on his own and started to cause issues. But he came with the elves, and the next protector at that. That clearly suggests that they have the right cause in this matter.”

He touched his blue spear where it was leaning against the wall, murmuring that he was such a lucky guy.

“Kuyan. I understand how you feel, but making a move now isn’t a good idea. It’s a shame, but we have to conclude this matter here.”

The South-North Union’s boss shook his head, telling him not to mention that incident anymore.

“Boss!”

Kuyan raised his head, his face smeared with tears and twisted like a grotesque monster.

“Are you afraid of Glenn Zieghart?”

His lips trembled, as he smashed the floor bare-handedly.

“I endured it when Tyler died back then. He was pretty much my grandson as the grandson of my dear friend, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to harm the boss’s dignity as the head elder! But this incident is a different case!”

Kuyan shouted, his voice rough and dry, like he lacked any saliva and was coughing up blood instead.

“It’s none other than the head elder of the union! Regardless of whether it was a one-on-one or if they had the right, we still have to take action! Are you trying to forget about Tyler and Siran because you’ve found a new successor? Or Are you really afraid of Glenn Zieghart?”

The South-North Union’s boss looked down upon Kuyan silently. His gaze was as emotionless as in the beginning.

“Who wouldn’t be afraid of Glenn Zieghart? Kuyan, what about you?”

“I’m not afraid of him! I don’t care if I end up dying as a result!”

“That’s amazing. Unfortunately, I’m afraid of him.”

He extended his long legs while saying that he was afraid and placed them onto the king sea serpent’s skin.

“I’m not afraid of dying, but I’m afraid of the South-North Union’s downfall.”

“Hmm…”

“It wouldn’t be too bad if it was just you or me who died as a result. But Zieghart’s sword is brutal and persistent. They will try to get rid of everything in the South-North Union, even if they end up losing their limbs as a result. You should know what happened during the continental war.”

“......”

Kuyan couldn’t say anything as he simply stared at the boss.

“Just you wait. Roman will avenge Tyler, Raptor, and even Siran’s deaths.”

The South-North Union’s boss smiled, saying that there wasn’t even a year left.

“Do you understand?”

“I do, but…”

Kuyan bit his lip and raised his head.

“I can’t completely accept it.”

“Then are you going to attack Zieghart right now or something?”

“I’m not that stupid. But I’m going to wait.”

He shook his head and stood up.

“Ah.”

The South-North Union’s boss raised his hand.

“Since Siran is dead, take back the head elder’s position.”

“……”

Kuyan quietly lowered his head and left the throne room. He immediately went to the river and made a warship depart, the one that belonged to the Council of Elders.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The sailors steered the boat without saying anything. They advanced through the cold wind of the early morning, and they arrived at Peren River, where Siran and Raptor had perished.

“Haa.”

Kuyan sighed deeply, standing on the river where Siran had died.

“I would’ve helped you from the beginning if I had known this was going to happen.”

He let out a deep, regret-filled sigh once again.

“There’s nothing I can do at the moment.”

Kuyan shook his head while looking at the dark river reflecting the moonlight.

“But I’m not going to let it pass. Wait in hell.”

He threw his golden fishing rod into the river, stared at it for a long time, then returned to the boat.

The boat from the Council of Elders circled the river once to comfort Siran’s soul and slowly disappeared.

A tall man landed on the dark river after Kuyan was gone.

The man with eyes as blue as the moonlight shook his finger, and the river started to boil, making a white skeleton surface.

“Do you want to live?”

The man spoke to the skeleton as if he were talking to a living person.

“I like your answer.”

The skeleton didn’t say anything, but the man giggled.

“You’re right. It’s impossible to revive a dead person. I would’ve smashed your bones if you said you wanted to live, but you said that you just wanted your revenge. That’s why I like it.”

The man casually nodded, and the skeleton was compressed into a small size before being absorbed into his hand.

“I came here just in case, but this will be interesting material.”

He threw the skeleton into the air and then caught it like he was playing with a toy before disappearing into the darkness.

* * *

Cring!

Inside the training ground, Heavenly Drive’s blade rode the wind and descended upon the land.

The tip of the blade trembled faintly, splitting the small line on the ground into a fissure.

“Hmm…”

Raon furrowed his brow while looking at the slash that had strayed away from its trajectory.

‘I’m too impatient.’

Even his training wasn’t going so well because he was too worried about Judiel. He even felt like he’d become worse because his mind kept wavering.

‘It’s still not here yet.’

It had already been almost two days since he’d requested information from the Black Market, but there was still no news from them. He started to imagine bad things.

‘No, I should focus. I should do what I can for now.’

Raon calmed his mind and was about to raise the sword again when a small bird flew towards him from the sky.

Hieeh!

Wrath freaked out and sank to the ground as soon as he saw the bird.

I-it’s the madwoman! She’s here again!

His lips shivered, thinking that it was Merlin.

‘No, it’s not.’

Raon extended his hand while shaking his head, and the bird landed on his hand.

‘This little one is a messenger from the Black Market.’

A small piece of paper was folded around the bird. It was a bird from the Black Market, not Merlin.

‘How pathetic of you.’

Raon chuckled, letting the bird fly away.

‘What kind of demon king is afraid of a little bird?’

H-he wasn’t afraid! He just thought it was the madwoman.

‘Sure, mister cowardly demon king.’

It’s not true!

Raon ignored Wrath as he started to yell and opened the letter. The contents were simple. It stated that they would be waiting at a place on Zieghart’s main street.

Raon burnt the piece of paper and immediately went towards the mentioned location.

He entered a small shop on the corner of the commercial district, and he suddenly sensed the intense fragrance of trees. He looked around and noticed wooden sculptures of different sizes were filling the area.

Raon went deeper while appreciating the sculptures. He could feel a familiar presence from the manager on the other side of the counter.

“It’s been a while.”

The manager took off the hood she was wearing with a thin voice. She was a woman, the wisdom in her eyes standing out even more than the rosy eyepatch.

It was Denning Rose.

“Did you personally come here for me?”

Raon’s eyes widened upon seeing Denning Rose. He hadn’t thought she would be coming, since he’d guessed that she would dispatch an agent.

“Of course I did.”

Denning Rose shook her head, saying that it wasn’t anything special. She took out a green teacup and poured the water that she’d been boiling into it. The calm fragrance emanating from it was soothing his pounding heart.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

Raon took a sip from the steaming tea. The nutty and mild taste remained in his mouth, then it completely disappeared. Denning Rose must’ve prepared the tea to control his emotions.

“Let’s get to the topic since you seem to be in a hurry. The person who’d been contacting us has disappeared, right?”

“Yes. I believe she immediately made a move when she heard that her brother was found.”

“We’ve actually messaged her multiple times when we found someone similar to her brother, but we were mistaken in every case. We must’ve found her real brother this time.”

Denning Rose was saying that she’d already given Judiel information about her brother before, but she’d responded that they weren’t her brother.

“But why would she go on her own…?”

“I believe it’s because she didn’t want to spend my time.”

“I see.”

She nodded, immediately realizing the situation.

“I’ll start by showing you the document we gave to her.”

Denning Rose took out an envelope from the drawer and handed it over. Raon opened it up right away and checked the content.

[We’ve found a young man in his mid-twenties, brown-haired, blue-eyed with a scar on his forehead near the village of the Suran tribe.]

Raon narrowed his eyes while examining the message.

‘He might be the one…’

Judiel had told him that her brother was named Juvel, he was around 24~25 years old, brown-haired, blue-eyed with a scar on his forehead.

Judging from the contents, he was most likely her brother.

“But the village of the Suran tribe is…”

“Yes, the Beast Union.”

Denning Rose nodded while calling the Beast Union’s name.

“The village is from that faction.”

“I see.”

He was wondering because the name sounded familiar, and it was indeed from the Beast Union.

‘But why is he even there?’

From his knowledge, Karoon was holding both Judiel and her brother’s leashes.

Judiel was understandable, but he couldn’t tell why her brother was in the Beast Union.

“That village is rather peculiar, but her brother didn’t seem ordinary either, apparently.”

“What do you mean by that…:?”

“This is something we’ve figured out after Sir Raon made his request…”

Coldness started to emanate from the only eye Denning Rose had.

“That person called Juvel seems to be living the life of an assassin.”

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