Raon furrowed his brow deeply as he looked at the book with his name on it.
‘I remember it now. Those mercenaries at the restaurant also mentioned a book.’
The mercenaries he’d encountered at a restaurant on the way to Seipia had mentioned that a book named after him was published.
‘This is the book they were talking about. But when did she even make this?’
Encia had asked to use his face as her signature mark when she’d made Sylvia’s energy center.
Since it was pretty recent, Raon couldn’t understand how the book was already published.
‘Considering the thickness, it should’ve been impossible to make this even with magic… Ah! I get it now.’
Encia hadn’t started to write the book after getting permission for her signature mark. She had already finished the book and got permission afterward.
‘That’s why she told me she’d give me a share for the portrait rights…’
Raon didn’t want it, but Encia had insisted on giving him the money, and the book must’ve been the reason why.
“Uhh…”
Raon closed his eyes tightly and shook his head.
‘Her proactiveness is inhuman.’
Raon got the impression that Encia could even surpass Merlin.
“Wh-why are you with Sir Raon the damn handsome now right?”
Siyan raised her trembling eyes as Raon sighed in shock.
“Hmm?”
Rimmer tilted his head while looking at Siyan.
“Doesn’t the book you were reading have information about Raon?”
“I-it does…”
“Then you should know that I’m Raon’s master, don’t you?”
“What do you mean?! Sir Raon the damn handsome became powerful on his own! He doesn’t have anything like a master!”
Siyan raised her voice slightly, telling him to stop his nonsense.
“You are the one who is saying nonsense. I’m the one who raised him!”
Rimmer furrowed his brow while looking down at the blanket that was covering Siyan.
“No! Sir Raon is a genius who was already proficient with swordsmanship from the moment of his birth!”
“There’s no one like that in the world! Listen! Raon over there is my disciple, who I’ve raised ever since he was a baby, and he is my subordinate now!”
Raon narrowed his eyes while listening to the conversation between the siblings.
‘If she didn’t write about the division leader being my master, what else did she even write?’
Raon turned the page with a trembling hand. He was practically turning a page per second, but he could understand the content thanks to the Ring of Fire.
“Wh-what’s written in there? Does it mention my name?”
“What about me?”
Dorian and Yua leaned forward, curious about the book.
“......”
Raon finished reading the book in no time and remained quiet, his shoulders trembling.
‘This is a hymn. Not a hymn for humans, but a hymn for Raon.’
Everything inside the book started with Raon and ended with Raon.
His actions and the events were true, but Raon was literally an omnipotent god in the process.
Rimmer didn’t even appear, the three team leaders appeared as a distraction that simply got in his way while Dorian was simply called a portable pocket, completely skipping his name.
Yua managed to appear, probably because she’d left a favorable impression on Encia, but she’d only appeared once.
“Y-you do appear.”
Raon awkwardly nodded at Dorian and Yua before turning the last page of the book.
“Aah…”
He unconsciously groaned upon seeing the last page.
1. The round pebble Raon Zieghart threw toward the sky is now called the moon.
2. It’s incorrect to say that Raon Zieghart learns swordsmanship. Swordsmanship was born for Raon Zieghart.
3. Raon Zieghart doesn’t bother with having a home. This is because the entire world is his home.
4. Raon Zieghart can burn fire and freeze ice.
Madness similar to that was written all over the page. Raon couldn’t bring himself to read any further and closed the book.
W-were you the one who made the moon?! But when? How?!
Wrath’s eyes trembled as he looked at Raon. He seemed to believe the content of the book.
“Haa…”
Raon could only sigh because he felt too exhausted to respond.
‘I need to burn them.’
He decided to erase the book’s existence from the face of the world, even if he had to spend his entire fortune.
“Y-you are really Sir Raon the damn handsome, right?”
Siyan’s trembling voice could be heard from the blanket. It looked like she had no intention of showing herself—but then, she was introduced as a jobless shut-in.
All he could tell was her hair color, thanks to a few strands peeking out from the blanket.
“I’m not damn handsome, but I’m Raon.”
Raon nodded while looking at Siyan’s blanket.
“I-I’m your fan. Sir Raon the damn handsome.”
Siyan called him damn handsome once again and poked her eyes out. Her blue eyes, reminiscent of a cloudless sky, shimmered faintly.
“Thank you. And you can remove the damn handsome part.”
“But the book mentioned that I always have to add the damn handsome…”
“Don’t trust this book. It’s a lie 90% of the time.”
Raon shook his head while returning the book to Siyan.
“J-just like it’s written in the book, you even have a humble personality.”
Siyan trusted the book instead of Raon himself, as if she were already completely brainwashed by it.
“That’s not… Haa…”
Raon’s fingers trembled. It was too complicated to explain. He couldn’t do anything but sigh.
“I’m honored to meet you.”
Only her hand poked out of the blanket slightly to accept the book. The back of her hand was so white that it almost looked transparent. That suggested that she hadn’t left her home in a really long time.
“Hey, Siyan. Aren’t you being a little too indifferent to your brother when we’ve finally been reunited?”
Rimmer shook his head, saying that she was being too mean.
“Ah, I’m sorry. It’s just too hectic right now… R-Rimmer! Your arm!”
Siyan’s blanket started to shake violently.
“This one? I invested it for the future.”
Rimmer winked towards Raon. He must’ve taken a liking to what he’d said to Sterin.
“Was it for Sir Raon?”
“Yes. I worked pretty hard to save him.”
“D-didn’t it hurt?”
“It's fine now because I received proper first aid after it was cut off.”
He tapped on the blanket where Siyan’s head was located.
“Rimmer.”
“Hmm?”
“Good job.”
“Huh…?”
Rimmer blinked upon hearing Siyan’s energetic voice.
“Sir Raon is the best blue chip that you can find! You will definitely get a huge return!”
She waved her hand outside the blanket, saying that it was an excellent choice.
“Err, yes…”
Rimmer nodded blankly because her reaction was completely unexpected.
“Are you okay, Sir Raon the damn handsome?”
“I didn’t get any serious injuries thanks to our division leader.”
“I’m glad to hear that!”
Siyan hesitated for a moment before she opened her mouth again.
“Err, Sir Raon the damn handsome, can I ask a question?”
“You can, as long as you skip that damn handsome part.”
Raon sighed briefly and nodded.
“Wh-what would you have done if you had no talent in swordsmanship?”
“Talent?”
He was a bit confused because it was an unexpected question.
“I-I was born as a high elf, but I don’t have the talent high elves should possess. I’m not as good as the other elves either, because I’m not good at fighting, or summoning spirits, or controlling aura. They call me a high elf that is even more incompetent than a bug…”
Siyan murmured that all she could do was to breathe while hiding under the blanket. Her voice sounded slightly teary.
“You are good at shooting arrows. Weren’t you always spot on?”
“Wh-what’s the point of archery when I can’t even use aura? And it’s been too long since the last time I used a bow…”
She stared at the bow hanging on the wall for a moment before she buried her face into the bed.
“Hmm…”
Raon briefly licked his lips.
‘It’s a difficult question.’
Even though she was a fan, the fact that she was asking a question like that during their first encounter implied that she was mentally driven into a corner.
Raon wanted to help her because Siyan had mustered her courage, regardless of the fact that she was his fan or that she was Rimmer’s sister.
However, there was something he needed to know before answering her question.
“Since Lady Siyan is a high elf, does that mean that you are also a high elf, division leader?”
“I’m not.”
Rimmer casually shook his head.
“It’s decided whether we are a high elf or not at the moment of birth. It was passed down from my grandfather to Siyan, but the high elf of the next generation can be someone from another clan. It’s different every time.”
He shrugged his shoulders, saying that the heavens decided who got to be the high elf.
“And only two high elves can exist at the same time. My grandfather and Siyan are the only high elves in Seipia right now.”
“I see.”
Raon bit his lip slightly.
‘It’s understandable that she feels pressured if there are only two high elves. Moreover, we don’t know when Sterin will depart.’
Judging from the wrinkles on Sterin’s face, it could be assumed that he didn’t have that long to live.
Siyan was the only high elf except for him, and she couldn’t do her job as she should. It was only natural that she and the people around her were feeling the pressure.
‘I feel sorry for her.’
Raon thought about the answer to Siyan’s question and slowly opened his mouth.
“If I didn’t have a goal, I would’ve lived an ordinary life without wielding a sword. However, if I had something to achieve, I would’ve wielded the sword, even without any talent.”
“Until the very end?”
“Yes. I would’ve never given up.”
He didn’t tell her the details, but he responded to her question sincerely.
“Siyan, I don’t know what you read in that book, but it’s true that Raon is brimming with talent.”
“I knew it…”
“However.”
Rimmer smiled faintly and sat on Siyan’s bed.
“He made more effort than anyone else I’ve seen so far. He was the first to come to the training ground and the last one to leave. I can guarantee that no one around his age has trained more than him.”
He tapped on the blanket, saying that Raon’s might was the result of his desperate efforts, even surpassing his talent.
“He’s right. Sir Raon has been a monster who only had training in his mind ever since the first time I met him.”
“He does nothing but train even at home!”
Dorian and Yua also told her that Raon’s efforts were the real talent he had.
“B-but the book says that he can replicate any sword technique just from seeing it…”
“I can replicate it, but it’s just a stunt rather than real swordsmanship. Training is the only way to increase a person’s realm.”
Raon nodded while looking at Siyan’s shoulders, which were trembling under the blanket.
“Effort…”
Siyan’s voice sounded gloomy, but felt a bit brighter than before.
“You can give up if it’s too hard on you.”
Rimmer chuckled while patting Siyan’s head.
“G-give up? Then who is supposed to purify the world tree?!”
“Just leave it to the next high elf.”
He shook his head, telling her to take it easy.
“Since our grandfather has been purifying the world tree like a mysophobe so far, it’s going to last at least forty years after his death. It should be enough time for a new high elf to be born, right?”
“But…”
“Siyan. The world is vast, and there are lots of things you can do. Don’t give up on yourself because you’re too fixated on your duty.”
Rimmer’s lips were curved into a gentle smile, showing his genuine concern about his younger sister.
Raon rubbed the part under his ear white watching Siyan tremble under the blanket without saying anything.
‘She has a high sense of duty.’
As soon as Rimmer told her to give up, Siyan started to talk about purifying the world tree.
That implied that she hadn’t forgotten about her duty even though the other elves were looking down on her.
“I’m hesitant to say this since I don’t know much about elven society, but…”
Raon continued while looking at the blue eyes glowing under the blanket.
“Aren’t you curious about what expressions the elves who’ve been looking down on you will make once they see how much you’ve changed? I bet they would stare with their mouths wide open, unable to find what to say.”
Raon remembered the expressions of astonishment that the other children had made when he was a trainee.
“Ah…”
Siyan’s eyes trembled, excited just from thinking about it.
“And if it doesn’t work out after you really did your best, giving up is still an option. The important part here is that you have to admit that you’ve really done everything you could. Because even if you manage to deceive others, you can’t deceive yourself.”
“Do my best…”
Siyan murmured about doing her best under the blanket.
“And Lady Siyan, it’s not like you are bad at everything.”
“What?”
“I heard you created the Nadine bread. I like it a lot. And I know another person who likes it.”
Raon smiled faintly while thinking about Glenn.
“Yes. You haven’t tested the limit of your abilities yet. Think about it carefully.”
Rimmer weakly pressed on Siyan’s head before he stood up from the bed.
“We’ll be leaving now so you can rest.”
He gestured with his hand for them to leave.
“......”
Siyan wasn’t saying anything.
“I’m taking my leave as well.”
“Th-thank you!”
Raon started to leave after Rimmer, and Siyan’s voice could be heard from the blanket. The higher pitch of her voice showed that she’d mustered some courage.
“Wow, this difference in treatment is so painful, both in Zieghart and here.”
Rimmer murmured in irritation, but his lips were still smiling as he left.
“Have a good rest.”
Raon chuckled and looked to the right while following Rimmer outside.
‘By the way…’
Raon lowered his eyebrows while looking at Wrath, who was floating in the air, clutching his chin.
‘Why are you so quiet?’
Wrath was being strangely quiet even though he wanted to beat Siyan to death as soon as he saw her.
That high elf girl that you met a moment ago.
‘Huh?’
Wrath furrowed his brow while looking behind him.
She is blocked.
* * *
Siyan crawled like a turtle to come outside the blanket after everyone was gone.
“I see. Even the damn handsome Raon, I mean, Sir Raon is the same…”
‘He didn’t reach his current position with just talent.’
In reality, Raon possessed a spirit that was on a whole different level from the others. She’d thought he was just like the book described him because his presence naturally attracted her attention, but she learned that he’d gone through lots of difficulties as well.
“My best effort…”
She did make an effort. She was quite certain that she spent a lot more time practicing resonance than the other elves did practicing their aura and spirit summoning.
However, she couldn’t answer for sure whether it was her best effort or not.
She was lazy sometimes, she was distracted by how other elves saw her, and there was even a time when she just kept sleeping, giving up on it entirely.
“He said that I can’t deceive myself even though I can deceive others.”
He was right. The time she’s wasted remained perfectly clear in her memory.
“I should try a bit more…”
Since Raon had become her idol as she read the book about him, his advice made her not want to give up anymore, and she wanted to keep trying a bit more.
To be honest, she really wanted everyone to pay attention to her and praise her.
Siyan came down from the bed and closed her eyes.
‘I don’t have the courage to go outside yet though.’
She hugged the Biography of Raon Zieghart tightly with both hands and focused her mind to merge with the world.
* * *
Raon smiled faintly while looking around the lodgings assigned for them.
“It’s no different from lodgings for humans.”
Erian gave them a building that was used by humans before. It put him at ease, but also a bit regrettable because he wanted to experience living in a tree house.
Raon unpacked his belongings and left the lodgings. He looked around because he wanted to feel the high-purity mana of Seipia more deeply and noticed that the elves started to stop in their tracks one by one.
“Is it that a human?”
“How can a human possess such high-purity mana…?”
“It’s even cleaner than ours. He’s practically a spirit.”
“Is he really the spirit king’s contractor, like Sir Erian claimed?”
“I don’t know if he’s the contractor or not, but I can tell that it’s at least a possibility.”
The elves exclaimed or looked at him with admiration.
“Nonsense. Why would a spirit king ever make a contract with a human?”
“That’s right. I’ve never heard about a human being becoming a spirit king’s contractor. They would need to be an elf for that.”
“I don’t understand Sir Erian. Why did he look so glad…?”
A few elves were shaking their heads, brushing it off as nonsense. Raon honestly felt thankful to them.
‘I knew it, it was because of that elf.’
Considering the fact that they were mentioning Erian, that blockheaded elf must’ve spread the story about the spirit king all around Seipia.
‘Seriously, everyone around our division leader is abnormal.’
Raon shook his head and walked away to avoid the attention of the elves. As he walked towards a place where the elves couldn’t see him, he found himself in front of a small open space.
‘Is it a training ground?’
Judging from the arrows and wooden swords around it, it seemed to be an elven training ground, designed to practice archery and swordsmanship.
‘Training grounds put me at ease, regardless of the location.’
That’s only true for you, who is crazy for training.
Wrath furrowed his brow while glaring at Raon.
Stop being pathetic and return already. The King of Essence is hungry right now!
He licked his lips, saying that he wanted to try out the eccentric food that Rimmer had mentioned.
‘First…’
Raon grabbed Wrath’s tail and pulled him in front of his eyes.
‘What did you mean by that when you said that Lady Siyan is blocked earlier?’
She’s blocked because she’s blocked.
‘I’m asking for a further explanation.’
The part you call the upper energy center is completely blocked in that high elf girl.
‘It’s normally blocked, isn’t it? It opens up naturally when you reach a higher realm.’
The path towards the upper energy center was normally blocked from the moment of birth. It was also true for Raon, and he’d managed to open that passage upon becoming a Grandmaster.
Indeed. But in her case, she has something else other than just her wall.
‘What else?’
Even the King of Essence doesn’t know what exactly it is. But one thing that’s certain is that something thick and dense is blocking the path.
‘Then why did Sir Sterin not realize that fact?’
He must’ve thought that it was a natural occurrence, since she must’ve been born that way. Moreover, that old high elf is unable to see the same thing as the King of Essence.
Wrath raised his nose, saying that he was on a higher level.
‘So it’s blocked for her…’
Raon shook his head while stroking his chin.
‘She seemed to be in a lot of pain.’
He could somewhat understand her because he had the experience of receiving similar attention as he grew up as a collateral in Zieghart.
Rimmer was also worried about her, to the point where he’d stopped smiling as soon as he’d left her room. That was why Raon wanted to help her if he could.
‘Upper energy center… Hmm?’
As he was contemplating the matter, he suddenly heard the sound of a sharp wind inside the forest on the right.
Raon unsheathed Heavenly Drive before he even started to think. The sword barrier settled in despite the urgency of the situation. He thought he would be able to defend no matter what tried to attack him.
However.
Claaang!
The sword barrier crumbled like a sandcastle, and a white arrow broke into the boundary.
Raon unsheathed the Blade of Requiem with his left hand and erected the Firewall.
Whaaap!
The shield of flame surged like moonlight and blocked the arrow’s trajectory.
Pssh!
However, the arrow moved like a living creature, soaring towards his right shoulder instead of the left shoulder that was defended by the Firewall.
Claaang!
Raon hurriedly recovered the Blade of Requiem and barely managed to fend off the arrow.
“Kuh…”
He felt an intense numbing pain in his hand. The power dwelling on the arrow was even stronger than a Grandmaster’s.
Whir!
Moreover, the arrow had only bounced off slightly, quickly returning with a sharp momentum.
“This arrow…”
“That was pretty good.”
The forest split apart and Sterin appeared from where the arrow had come from. His tall height and confident steps were extremely similar to Rimmer’s.
“Why did the protector…?”
“Since you gave strength to my granddaughter, who has been sitting in despair, I’ll have to give you a small return.”
Sterin gestured with his chin, and the white arrow floating in the air was sucked towards his hand.
“You said you wanted to gain some inspiration from the spiritual arrow, didn’t you?”
An arrogant smile appeared on his face as he placed an arrow on the bowstring.
“Take it, if you can.”
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