Chapter 543

Raon ignored Wrath as he started to rampage and closed his eyes.

‘I should be able to broaden my mental world even further.’

Baphomet’s combative energy, purified by Runaan’s frost, was seeping into his body.

Since he had a spiritual body, Baphomet’s energy naturally settled inside his mental world.

Since combative energy’s sole purpose was to fight, it sharpened the blades embedded in his mental world.

‘I should take it in as it is.’

He could change Baphomet’s energy to match his characteristics, but he kept the wild nature of the monster on purpose.

Since Glenn had told him to experience various things in order to achieve the versatile sword, he wanted to bring new stimulation to his mental world by taking in an energy that didn’t exist there before.

Raon opened his eyes, feeling as his soul level grew even greater with Baphomet’s combative energy.

Runaan’s shoulders were trembling, her eyes closed. She still seemed to be trying to stabilize the energy.

Damn it!

Wrath punched the ground, his fist looking like a sweet bun.

Why is the King of Essence the only one who never gets anything?

He shouted in frustration, saying that he never gained anything even though he worked hard with everyone else.

‘What are you talking about? There’s something to gain for you.’

R-really?

‘Yes. You’ll be able to eat ice cream once we get out of here.’

Ah, indeed! That’s certainly a great… Wait, we were supposed to have that anyway!

Wrath furrowed his brow and punched Raon.

‘I’ll buy food that you wanted to have as well. Just be quiet for now.’

Raon easily dodged the fist by tilting his chin and shook his hand.

I-I see, then he’ll stay qui—no! You were supposed to do that anyway too! The promised three weeks aren’t over yet!

‘You aren’t as easy to deceive as before.’

Raon murmured that it was a shame and sighed lightly.

Seriously, you bastard…

‘Anyway, I’ll do everything you want today, so please calm down.’

Really?

‘Yes. As long as you stay quiet without doing anything unnecessary.’

Raon nodded at Wrath’s doubtful gaze, and Runaan’s mental world trembled violently.

Rumble!

Baphomet’s encroaching darkness disappeared, and Runaan’s mental world became incomparably wider than before.

Beautiful particles of snow were falling upon the new land. Runaan’s world turned a serene and pristine white.

Whaam!

The ice house that protected Runaan was destroyed, and the ice cream dolls inside stood up on their own and started to walk.

“Huh.”

Raon gasped while watching the Burren and Martha dolls, which started to argue as soon as they came out.

‘Does this mean…’

It means that Ice Cream Girl’s mental world has grown.

Wrath smiled while watching the dolls starting to walk on their own.

The mind of a child who wanted to protect her family even if she had to sacrifice herself has matured.

‘Yes, it looks like it.’

Watching the ice house being destroyed and seeing her precious dolls move on their own made him realize the immense growth her mind had achieved, just as Wrath had said.

“Hmm…”

As Raon was watching the dolls move around the white world, Runaan opened her eyes with a small groan. Her purple eyes were glimmering like stars.

‘She’s gotten stronger.’

Her mind wasn’t the only growth she’d achieved. It was hard to tell for sure until he was outside, but her power also seemed to have improved noticeably.

“Raon.”

Runaan walked up to him and extended her hand. Since he still looked like an ice cream doll, he jumped nimbly onto her hand.

“How are you feeling?” Raon asked while looking up at Runaan.

Even though they were inside her mental world, the delicate fragrance of her hair was tickling his nose.

“I feel like I bathed in warm water after being covered in mud.”

Runaan raised her hand to meet his eyes. Her eyes weren’t blank anymore.

They were as clear as morning dew on leaves. They looked as beautiful as the starry night sky.

“Raon, thank you.”

“It was all you.”

Raon shook his hand at her nod of appreciation.

“No, I would’ve never won if I was alone.”

Runaan raised her lips faintly. It was clearly a smile, though it was small.

“Your example with ice cream gave me strength.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

That’s not true! The King of Essence was the one who said it! He didn’t do anything at all! He’s a villain who stole his copyright!

Wrath had been admiring her growth, but he sprang up wildly and shook his hand upon hearing it.

“The dust is still around.”

Runaan tilted her head while looking at Wrath.

D-dust…

Wrath fell, his chin trembling.

Ice Cream Girl, how could you do this to the King of Essence…?

He lamented. He seemed extremely shocked.

“Just ignore it. It’s just dust.”

Raon smiled and easily slapped Wrath away.

“How pitiful.”

Runaan caught Wrath with her left hand and carefully caressed him.

He knew it! Ice Cream Girl and the King of Essence are on the same wavelength! Just wait a little, Ice Cream Girl!

‘What kind of wavelength…? Hmm?’

Raon laughed bitterly when his body and Wrath suddenly shone and they started to return to their original shapes.

“Is this…? Ah.”

When he thought about it, Wrath had returned to his original shape after a while when he’d fought against the draconian in the past.

They seemed to be returning to their original appearances because they got used to Runaan’s mental world.

“Finally!”

Wrath laughed in delight while looking at his long finger.

“The King of Essence can finally return to his original shape!”

“Who are you?”

Runaan blinked. It looked like she could finally see Wrath.

“Ice Cream Girl! Listen. This guy is the source of evil. Everything he said so far was the King of Essence’s lines, and everything he’s done was the King of Essence’s…”

Wrath started to talk shit about Raon even though his body wasn’t fully visible yet.

Rumble!

However, Runaan’s mental world collapsed before he could finish talking, and the sky and land became darker.

It wasn’t Baphomet’s revival. They must’ve hit the time limit to stay in Runaan’s mental world.

“N-no! There are still so many things he needs to say! Wait…”

Wrath extended his hand while screaming, but Runaan wasn’t there anymore.

“Damn it!” Wrath howled while kicking the ground.

“This is way too unreasonable! At least let him talk!”

“Haa…”

Raon shook his head in the middle of the darkening world.

“You would’ve said it if you didn’t waste your time insulting me.”

* * *

Raon slowly opened his eyes. He could see that his right hand was touching the Baphomet helmet that Runaan was wearing.

Clang!

Even though he didn’t do anything to it, the helmet was split in half and fell to the ground. However, Runaan was still sleeping without a sigh of waking up.

Raon carefully laid her down and smiled faintly.

‘She’s still getting stronger.’

As expected, the growth of her mental world was also happening to her body. He could expect her to wake up after she reached the new realm.

You damned heaven!

Wrath shook his fist while looking up to the sky.

Why are you always disturbing the King of Essence?!

‘That’s why you should’ve said it quickly. You had more than enough time for it if you hadn’t tried to insult me.’

Raon pushed Wrath away and examined the states of Rokan and Clara, who were lying unconscious right next to him.

‘They seemed to be poisoned by something…’

The movement of their blood was subdued, as if time had stopped. They seemed to be rendered unconscious with a special drug.

‘It’s not poison, at least.’

Raon breathed out a sigh of relief, as Federick would likely be fully capable of treating them.

‘As for Merlin…’

He thought it was strange that he couldn’t find Merlin, who should’ve been running at him right away, and noticed that a mole was limp on the ground.

‘Did she push herself too hard?’

She seemed to have fainted because she used too much power in her animal form.

‘You keep helping me even though I can’t do anything for you. Thank you.’

Raon put the Merlin mole in his clothes and walked towards the underground area where Runaan used to be confined.

‘He’s here.’

Syria’s corpse was at the same place where he was killed before Raon had gone to rescue Runaan.

However, there was one strange thing. His helmet was nowhere to be found.

‘What?’

He furrowed his brow while thinking that it was strange when a powerful shockwave occurred from the right.

Rumble!

Raon looked around. Martha, Dorian, and the warriors from House Sullion who had been suppressed by Syria were fighting against the traitors who followed Syria.

There seemed to be lots of Eden’s demons wearing monster helmets or masks as well.

“Ack…”

Raon was about to walk towards them but came to a halt and clutched his chest.

‘My body won’t move.’

His mental world had achieved growth, but the aftereffect of letting wrath take over his body remained.

He felt like a line of pain was connecting from his scalp all the way to his toes. He had even exhausted his aura and willpower from using the Sword Field Creation, making it even more difficult to move.

The King of Essence told you before, it’s still too early for you to control the wrath.

Wrath shook his head at how weak he was.

‘It couldn’t be helped.’

He was engulfed in wrath before he knew it when he saw that Runaan was wearing the helmet.

His primal emotions seemed to be getting stronger the more wrath he received from Wrath.

‘But I still need to settle this situation.’

Raon bit his lip and stepped forward. He mustered his force to activate the Ring of Fire and went up next to Martha.

“Is it over?”

Martha exhaled roughly while brushing aside her blood-soaked hair. She was severely injured, and she seemed to be exhausted from fighting powerful opponents one after the other.

“Pl-please save me…”

Dorian was almost on his knees as he pleaded with teary eyes. He was also severely injured, and his trembling hands revealed how exhausted he was.

“Good job.”

Raon went ahead after he smiled at Martha and Dorian.

“Tell me how it went! Is she okay now?”

Martha cared about Runaan before anything else even though she was in an extremely difficult situation herself.

Even though they usually looked like they were on bad terms, they seemed even closer than real siblings.

“She’s fine.”

Raon nodded with a smile.

“She will wake up, and she will be even stronger than you when that happens.”

“Hmph. I’m fine with that. I just want her to wake up already.”

Martha twisted her lips while staring at Runaan.

“R-Raon Zieghart…”

“Which means, Sir Syria really has…”

“D-damn it!”

The swordsmen who betrayed House Sullion by turning to Syria’s side bit their lips upon seeing Raon.

“I-it’s all over for you!”

Dorian raised his hand while panting.

“Look more closely.”

The Eden’s demon wearing a gnoll lord helmet, the Corpse Hound Demon, pointed at Raon.

“The White Sword Dragon isn’t in good shape.”

He noticed Raon’s bad state at a glance and licked his lips. He seemed to have noticed his injury with the gnoll’s sense of smell.

“Fight. We are going to die anyway if we can’t kill them all.”

“Ugh…”

“How did this happen…?”

The traitors from House Sullion bit their lips, realizing that it was the last chance they had.

“You are right. I’m not in good shape. However…”

Raon admitted that he was in bad shape and nodded.

“It doesn’t change the fact that it’s over for you.”

The moment he voiced those words, the western walls of House Sullion were destroyed.

Whaaam!

The Light Wind division ran through the cloud of dust and encircled Eden’s members and the traitors.

“Light Wind division! We’ve arrived under the vice division leader’s order!”

Burren bowed at Raon and unsheathed his sword.

Slash!

Mark Goetten cut off the Red-Eyed Demon’s head nearby as if he was telling them that talking was unnecessary.

The other Light Wind swordsmen also unleashed their deadly energies.

“They are just a bunch of nobodies! Fight until the very end!”

The Corpse Hound Demon tried to raise their spirits, but the traitors were turning pale.

“The Light Wind division isn’t the only one.”

Raon sneered at Eden’s demons and the traitors.

The powerful warriors from the house were running towards the scene because his battle against the Evil Goat Demon had spread their wave of energy. It was only a matter of time until they were neutralized.

“I’ll drag you down with me at least!”

The Corpse Hound Demon unleashed his yellow madness and dashed at Raon. The sharp blade of his twisted sword was rushing towards his neck.

“Raon!”

“Dodge it!”

Martha and Dorian tried to protect him, but they were faltering because they were both exhausted.

“You underestimate me too much.”

Raon advanced with a coldhearted smile on his face. He raised his right hand without even drawing his sword.

Slash!

With his fingers put together, his hand cut through the Corpse Hound Demon’s sword like a sharp blade, even severing his helmet.

“Ah…”

With the helmet divided into two, the face of the swordsman who talked to the butler earlier was revealed. He collapsed with trembling lips, unable to believe his own death.

“Even though I’m injured, people like you will never be able to defeat me.”

Raon furrowed his brow while looking at the old swordsman who came after the Corpse Hound Demon.

‘That man…’

He was Rokan’s butler, the one who’d come to greet him at the entrance. Even a person who’d been serving the house for a long time ended up a traitor. Rokan and Runaan must’ve been tremendously shocked.

‘Should I kill him now?’

Since there were many people he could get the information from, he figured it would be best to just kill him before making Runaan even sadder.

Raon was about to extend his hand to kill him when he felt a presence from behind.

He turned around and saw that Runaan was calmly standing up. Even though she’d gone through so much pain and mental shock, she still had a straightforward look in her eyes.

“I’ll do it.”

Runaan picked up the sword from the ground and stepped forward.

“L-Lady Runaan, there was a misunderstanding. We just…”

The butler immediately went to his knees. He bowed while looking as pitiful as possible, trying to take advantage of Runaan’s kind heart.

However, Runaan was different from her past self from his memory.

Slash!

Runaan swung the sword she was holding and cut off the butler’s head without hesitation.

“Kuah…”

The butler watched his own headless body in disbelief before he perished.

“As the substitute head of House Sullion, I issue this command.”

Runaan stepped over the butler’s corpse to approach the traitors. She stomped her foot while glaring at the disgraced figures of the house with her clear, piercing gaze.

“Kneel, traitors.”

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – Kyangi]

[Proofreader – Harley]