Chapter 780

After making a request to Helen, Raon set off toward Federick’s mansion.

How long have I been asleep?

– Two days.

Wrath clicked his tongue in disapproval.

– Pathetic. Truly disgraceful. I don’t understand how a boy so young has so little stamina. When I was your age, I used molten lava as a blanket while sleeping!

Raon gave him a sidelong glance.

But you were the one who told me to rest in the mental world...

Wrath froze for a moment.

– Tch! That was before I realized you’d sleep like a corpse for two full days!

Wrath had been the one to warn Raon not to overexert himself in the mental world—that it could be fatal if he pushed too hard. And yet now, here he was, furious that Raon had taken too long to wake up in reality.

Truly, an incomprehensible demon king.

– Hah! You should’ve woken up after one day! I haven’t eaten anything in two days, and now my stomach hurts! Cough!

Wrath shook his head dramatically, grumbling about how he’d suffered just smelling food the whole time.

You’re coughing again. Are you alright?

– I’m feeling a bit better after getting a little sleep, even if it was short. Cough!

Despite his words, the dry cough lingered. He clearly wasn’t back to full strength.

Isn’t there any medicine that works on you?

– Hmph! You're just a young boy—how dare you worry about this king? Go dry that blood off your head and come back when you're less pitiful— Cough!

Wrath frowned deeply, waving his stubby arms.
– Don’t say such nonsense!

You always make such a fuss when it's time for rewards...

– T-That’s different! Would you like me to just shove my skills into your mouth instead?!

He huffed, shaking his head, then added there was no need to worry about him.

His mood swings were so wild that Raon had long stopped trying to keep up.

– Just bring me some food!

Alright, alright...

While Raon kept up the ridiculous back-and-forth, his feet had already brought him to Federick’s mansion.

Knock, knock.

"Come in."

Federick’s calm voice drifted through the door.

Raon pushed it open and stepped inside. In the treatment room, Federick was hunched over a patient, applying focused care.

"Raon. It seems you’ve finally awakened..."

– Raon!

Wrath’s excited voice echoed in his head, like he was announcing the return of a long-lost war hero.

As Federick waved with a gentle smile, someone leapt out from behind the treatment room—

It was Merlin.

– Eek! Cough! Eek! Cough!

Wrath shrieked and coughed in rapid succession, flailing in the air like a startled balloon. He looked genuinely rattled.

“Did you sleep well? I carried you to the annex building on my back!”

Merlin made an exaggerated gesture, grinning as if waiting for praise.

"The old man was trailing behind us with his eyes all wide. I seriously thought he was a stalker!"

She laughed, casting Glenn as the target of her playful jab.

“The head of the house?! No, wait—more importantly, why are you here?”

Raon blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected to see Merlin here of all places.

"My mother, my father, and my grandfather are all here," she said matter-of-factly, tilting her head. "Of course I have to attend to them."

"You really shouldn’t keep using those titles..."

Raon sighed, shaking his head. He could understand her calling them that during the chaos of war—it had served its purpose. But now? She was still clinging to it like it was gospel.

She was, without a doubt, an uncontrollable woman.

"Hey! If you're here, get rid of this one!"

Martha stepped out from behind Merlin, wrinkling her nose in irritation.

"She keeps interfering while I'm treating patients!"

“But isn’t it right for me to change Mom’s and Dad’s bandages?”

Merlin shrugged, acting like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That’s exactly what’s getting in the way! You can’t even wrap the bandages properly!"

Martha glared at Merlin, her voice rising with barely contained frustration.

“Why are you here?”

Raon sighed, looking at Martha as her face turned red from annoyance.

"There were too many patients, so I've been helping," Martha replied matter-of-factly.

Raon raised a brow.

"Are you still learning medical skills?"

"She absorbs everything I teach her very well. She might surpass me soon."

Federick laughed, adding that Martha's talent seemed to lie more in medicine than in fencing.

Raon looked at her quietly. The reason Martha had started learning medicine was rooted in self-reproach—she hadn’t been able to do anything when the Light Wind division was dying after being attacked by the Orgos, Demonic Monarch of Azure Flame.

It seemed she was still carrying that moment with her.

"That's part of it," Martha said, her voice calm, "but I also want to save my mother."

Martha bit her lip and lowered her head.

"Mmm..."

"I kept shouting that I would save my mother no matter what," she said quietly, "but deep down… I’d already given up more than half."

She let out a slow breath as she set aside a blood-stained bandage.

"I thought it was impossible. Even as a Master, there was no way I could defeat the Leader of the White Blood Religion—someone who stands at the top among Transcendent Warriors."

But then she looked up, meeting Raon’s gaze with a faint smile.

"But seeing you rescue your family… no—seeing how all of you care for each other… it gave me courage."

She nodded, her voice steadier now. There was determination in her eyes.

"Now… I believe I might be able to save my mother too."

"I see..."

Raon responded softly, his expression unreadable but his heart quietly stirred.

Raon smiled faintly, his head lowered.

He hadn’t saved everyone—not yet. But hearing that Martha had regained her courage reignited something within him.
He felt more determined than ever to save Sia.

"I would do anything for that day."

Martha’s eyes burned with resolve as she added that she would need his help.

– Alright. I will help you to the end.

Raon gave a firm nod, accepting her determination with his own.

"Ho, ho."

Federick chuckled softly, clearly pleased by the exchange between the two.

"……"

No more words were needed. The resolve in the room said everything.

Surprisingly, Merlin didn’t say a word.

Though her fingers trembled slightly, as if she wanted to jump in, she seemed to hold herself back—perhaps out of respect, knowing this was a family conversation.

– Keu! The beef girl has grown even more.

Wrath clapped loudly for Martha, letting out an exaggerated exclamation.

– You always say that.

– This time I mean it! She’s not just some fluffy herbivore anymore—she’s showing real claws!

He laughed heartily, clearly enjoying the direction things were going.

– Your role must’ve had something to do with that change.

Are you praising me now too?

– The beef girl is my subordinate, after all. Cough!

Wrath raised his chin with pride, even as he let out a dry cough, declaring that he takes responsibility for his subordinates to the very end.

"That's right. That's how it should be," Raon said softly. "We must take responsibility for our family… and for those who follow us."

With that, he turned his gaze toward Federick.

"What’s the condition of Mom and the others?”

“They still haven’t awakened, but they’ve entered the recovery phase.”
Federick lowered his hand, as if to reassure him there was no need to worry.

“Can I see them for a moment?”

“I’ll guide you!”
Merlin sprang up like she had been waiting for that exact moment and opened the door to the room on the right.

“Ugh…”
Raon let out a quiet breath and stepped inside.

“I’ve been taking care of them nonstop. I bandaged their wounds, gave them medicine, even massaged them.”
Merlin smiled proudly and gave a slight bow, clearly asking for praise.

“Mmm…”

As Merlin had said, Sylvia, Rector, and Edgar’s complexions had visibly improved. Their breathing was calm and steady now—signs they could awaken at any moment.

–Mom! Cough!
Wrath choked back a sob, pressing his forehead against Sylvia’s.
–This guy hasn’t fed me and just keeps sleeping! I miss you, Mom!
He gently patted Sylvia’s head, urging her to wake up soon.

“Thank you. Truly.”
Raon bowed deeply to Merlin. A mixture of gratitude and guilt welled up in his chest—for everything that had happened during the war and after.

“Why are you bowing between us?”

Merlin straightened her posture and sternly gestured for him to stop bowing. Then, without warning, she grabbed both of his hands and gripped them tightly.

“Already standing in front of the family like this? Isn’t it a little early?”
She squinted at him playfully, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

“…Aren’t you the one holding my hands?”
Raon raised an eyebrow and casually pulled his hands away.

“Anyway, where’s Sia… I mean, my older sister?”
Only Edgar, Rector, and Sylvia were in the room. Sia was nowhere to be seen.

“There’s a chance she might lose her mind, so Grandpa is watching over her.”
Merlin pointed toward the main building—Glenn was guarding Sia himself.

“Merlin. I need to enter my sister’s mental world again. Will you help me?”

“Right now? Won’t that be… too much for you?”

“It’s fine.”
Though his body and mind still felt heavy, he couldn’t sit still after witnessing Murkada’s past.

“Alright.”
Merlin nodded and turned toward the Lord’s Manor. She said she’d go ahead and make preparations, as it would take some time.

She marched toward the audience chamber like it was her backyard, not the room that even direct-line Ziegharts hesitated to step into. That alone was astonishing.

–Aren’t you going to follow her?

I have something to do first.

Raon left Federick’s mansion and returned to the annex building. In that short span of time, the dining table had already been set—filled with dishes lovingly prepared by Helen and the maids.

“You’ve done well to come back! Even you need to eat properly if you want to keep protecting Lady Sylvia, Young Master!”
Helen beamed proudly as she pushed the plates toward him like she was handing over sacred treasures.

–Ah! What is all this food?! Cough!
Wrath’s eyes widened in disbelief, drool practically flying as he stared at the feast. It was as if he’d just discovered heaven itself.

While you were busy whining about food, I asked Helen to prepare something.
Raon waved his hand casually as he sat down at the table.

This isn’t the time for celebration. When everyone wakes up, I’ll hold a real feast—with all their favorite dishes.

–This is more than enough!
Wrath grinned, eyes sparkling with joy.

Then the first thing we eat is…
–Obviously, pineapple pizza!
He pointed dramatically at the pizza, where half a pineapple sat proudly on top—as if there had never been a more perfect dish.

Ah…
Raon let out a silent sigh, already regretting letting him choose.

* * *

Raon explained everything to Glenn and Merlin, who were waiting in the basement of the audience chamber—what he had seen inside the mental world, and the truth behind Murkada’s dream.

“Hmph. I’ve never heard of a case exactly like that… No, perhaps there are simply too many similar incidents to pinpoint one,”
Glenn muttered with a deep frown.
“Even now, there are cases where monsters or spiritual beasts—who live peacefully—are hunted just to boost someone’s power.”

“If the entire orc tribe possessed wisdom,”
Merlin said quietly, twirling the elderly woman’s mask in her hands,
“Then they must have been… an ancient race.”

“Ancient race?”
Raon tilted his head, eyes narrowing.

“The ultimate goal of Eden…”
Glenn’s eyes darkened.
“They were special beings—survivors from the era ruled by the Destruction Demon Dragon. They possessed wisdom and martial prowess far beyond that of humans.”
He clicked his tongue in frustration.
“But by now, there’s likely almost nothing left of them.”

“The reason that man—Essian—returned to that forest must’ve been because he knew the Green King and the other orcs were an ancient race. He wanted to carve out a great achievement by exploiting them.”

Merlin clenched her fist, her voice trembling.
“…Disgusting.”
It seemed she'd witnessed something similar before—something that still haunted her.

–Sniff...

Suddenly, Wrath sobbed and lowered his head.

–I didn’t realize it was that bad… Poor guy!
His eyes turned red, filled with sympathy for Murkada’s sorrow and rage.

–That’s why we have to help him reach enlightenment!
He clenched his tiny fists with conviction.

Raon let out a soft sigh and turned to Merlin.
“I’m going in again.”

“Alright. I understand.”
Merlin nodded and began concentrating mana into both hands.

“Will you be okay?”
Her gaze was steady, but there was a hint of concern in her voice.

Glenn narrowed his eyes, concern flickering in his gaze.
“Repeatedly entering someone else’s mental world isn’t good for you.”

“Right now, I’m the only one who can do this. And…”
Raon nodded, a faint smile forming on his lips.
“I want to help my sister stand tall—before Mom wakes up.”

“…I see.”
Glenn exhaled softly and placed a gentle hand on Raon’s shoulder. He knew there was no stopping him now.
“Just don’t push yourself too far.”

“I won’t.”
Raon nodded again, his eyes filled with quiet determination.

As Raon nodded and turned to look at Merlin, Wrath waved a lazy hand.

–I’m not going with you this time.
He shook his head and flopped back, rubbing his belly.
–I’m full. Time for a nap in the bracelet.

I thought you cared about Murkada?

–I already told him everything I needed to.

“What exactly did you say?”

–There was something important!
He huffed and quickly dove into the bracelet, clearly avoiding further questions.
–Stop digging, you nosy human!

Raon let out a quiet chuckle.
What a fickle one…

Then, looking at Merlin, he saw her give a small nod—she was ready.

“Then I’m off.”
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.

Raon took a deep breath and reached out toward the blue pillar of light that Merlin had summoned.

Woosh!
In the blink of an eye, the image of Glenn and Merlin vanished—replaced by a charred, lifeless forest.

He had returned to the mental world of the Green King.

In the center of that desolate landscape stood Murkada, clutching a broken stone sword—exactly as he had when Raon first met him.

“Why have you returned?”
Murkada’s brow furrowed, his voice laced with confusion.

“I told you I would come back.”
Raon stepped forward, calm and steady, drawing the Heavenly Drive from his waist.

Rumble…
A dense, heavy fighting spirit surged above Murkada’s stone sword in response—he had taken it as a challenge.

“Let’s train.”
Raon’s voice rang firm beneath the withered trees.

Unlike Murkada, who brimmed with tension, Raon calmly raised the Heavenly Drive, his aura as steady as still water.

“…What?”
Murkada’s eyes widened, clearly not understanding his intent.

“The swordsmen of Zieghart—my family—forge bonds and sharpen their skills through battle,”
Raon said softly, his tone composed.
“We train by exchanging swordsmanship, not killing intent.”

“……”
Murkada’s eyes trembled, uncertain and uncomprehending.

Thunk.
Raon stepped forward and lightly tapped the flat of Murkada’s stone sword with the Heavenly Drive.

“Our swords have already crossed. That means you’ve accepted.”

With a faint smile, Raon suddenly struck.
Clang!
The Heavenly Drive slammed into the stone sword, and Murkada’s arm flung back violently, as if nearly torn from his body.

“Puh!”

Murkada swung his stone sword with raw force, his brow furrowed in frustration.

Clang!
Raon calmly blocked the strike, the Heavenly Drive humming with restrained power. He slowly parted his lips.

“I, too, was once shackled by humans.”

“…What? What are you talking about?”

“Unlike you, I wasn’t tricked. From the very beginning, my soul belonged to someone else.”
Raon’s voice was low, steady.
“There was nothing I wanted… and nothing I was allowed to do.”

He began to share his story—his past, his pain.
Of course, he left out the truth about reincarnation, reshaping the details to sound like a childhood sealed by control and manipulation.

“…That’s how I was able to save Habun Castle.”
Raon smiled faintly, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia.
“Looking back, every step felt like walking on thin ice. It was luck—reckless youth, and the favor of the castle’s lord.”

He chuckled softly.
“They even made a song to praise me... and gave me a gift, too. But…”
He paused as he looked down at his fading hands.
“…Huh. Looks like my time’s up.”

His body had begun to blur, the edges dissolving like mist. Too much time had passed while reminiscing about Habun.

“I’ll be back soon.”
Raon waved gently at the still-silent Murkada and disappeared like smoke into the air.

“Then…”
Murkada stood still for a long moment, staring at the space Raon had vanished from.

“…Who exactly is that boy? And what is the gift…?”

* * *

Woong!
The light shining from within the helmet flickered out, and Raon collapsed to the ground.

“It seems it’s over.”
Merlin let out a soft smile as she watched him.

“Indeed.”
Glenn gave a short nod and quietly moved Sia onto the nearby bed.

“Ugh…”
With a small grunt, Merlin hoisted Raon onto her back and stood up.

“Then I’ll take Raon back to the annex—”

“Stop right there.”
Glenn stepped in front of her, frowning.

“I’ll take him today.”

“…What? Why?”
Merlin blinked, genuinely surprised.

“You took him yesterday. So it’s only fair that I take him today.”
Glenn extended his hand, clearly not entertaining any arguments.

“What?! There’s no such rule!”
Merlin clutched Raon tighter, refusing to hand him over.
“I can only smell Raon at times like this!”

–What smell?! Stop saying weird things!
Wrath’s voice echoed in protest from the bracelet, full of disgust.

With a flick of Glenn’s fingers—
Woosh!
Raon vanished from Merlin’s arms and appeared neatly in Glenn’s grasp.

“I’ll be going first.”

“Like hell you are!”
Merlin reached out again, and Glenn immediately launched Raon into the air—only to catch him himself, smugly turning toward the stairs.

“No fair!”
Merlin shouted, bolting after him.

“Even if you’re Grandpa, there are things I won’t give up!”

The two stormed out toward the annex, practically playing tag with an unconscious Raon between them.

* * *

As soon as Raon regained consciousness, he returned to the audience chamber and once again stepped into Murkada’s mental world.

There, he picked up where they left off—recounting the path he had taken, sharing each experience as if it were part of their joint training.

“…And that’s how I was able to defeat the Demons of Eden and save the Ragged Saint.”
Raon smiled faintly.
“I was glad I could repay a kindness from my childhood.”

“Those bastards from Eden really are everywhere, aren’t they?”
Murkada scowled, gripping his stone sword tightly.

“There was a time I was kidnapped by Eden during a mission. I thought it was the end… but the Head of the House and the others came for me.”
Raon’s eyes softened.
“It’s hard to describe what I felt then. That was the day I truly understood the intangible strength of connection.”

“Connection…”
Murkada murmured.
“Our tribe values that deeply. If people who don’t even love you came to save you… then your family must be like a true tribe.”

Raon nodded.
“They are.”
His gaze turned sharp with resolve.
“The House Arianne we fought this time—situated near the Swamp of Death—was harboring a Specter of Eden. That place…”

“To go so far as to toy with life… and mock the dead… That is the act of a being whose soul deserves to be erased from existence.”
Murkada’s voice was low and firm.
“It’s fortunate that you were the one to deal with him.”

The Murkada who once stood emotionless now listened intently—reacting with joy, surprise, and moments of confusion. It was clear he had been drawn deeply into Raon’s stories, each battle and memory resonating with something inside him.

“…And so, this time, I was able to save my family.”
Raon lowered the Heavenly Drive with a heavy breath.

He had shared everything—his journey, his struggles, and how he finally reunited with his loved ones.

There was nothing more left to say.

“Then your story isn’t over yet.”
Murkada clicked his tongue, sounding a little disappointed, and gently lowered his stone sword to the ground.

“Like my ancestors… I once hoped to build a good relationship with humans.
With humans like you.”

His gaze, which had been fixed on the gray-white sky above, slowly drifted down to meet Raon’s.

“It seems… it’s finally happening.
Even if this is the end, I’m truly happy.”

For the first time, Murkada smiled—not with battle-hardened resolve, but with genuine warmth in his eyes. The fierce fighting spirit that once defined him had quietly faded.

“You…”
He stepped closer, his voice filled with something softer than reverence—something like trust.

“The oath I made… was to protect that child.
To never leave this place, and to never let my heart give in.”

Murkada nodded slowly, then turned his broken stone sword upside down, gripping it tightly.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Raon frowned, unease rising as he stared at him.

“Thank you.”
Murkada smiled—deeper this time, fuller, as if unburdened at last.

Splash!
Without hesitation, he plunged the broken stone sword into his own chest. Crimson blood burst forth, soaking the lifeless earth below.

“Murkada!!”
Raon shouted, eyes wide, rushing forward—too late to stop it.

“This was the oath I made…”
Murkada spoke through clenched teeth, black blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
“If I were to die here… by the hand of another, that girl—Sia—would never awaken.”

He looked at Raon with unwavering resolve.
“I thought it was better for her to sleep forever… than to be twisted into a weapon by those vile bastards.”

Raon’s eyes widened.

“But with you here… it’s different.”
Murkada smiled, even as his body trembled.
“I believe in you. I want her to live again… to truly live.”

With that, he gripped the broken stone sword still embedded in his chest—and pulled it free.

Splash!
A fountain of deep red blood—not black, but human—burst forth, soaking the roots of the dead forest beneath him.

“Why…”
Raon’s voice cracked, barely a whisper as he stepped forward, helpless to stop the bleeding.

Raon swallowed hard as he looked at Murkada, his throat dry.
“You were deceived by humans… So why? Why did you protect one?”

He couldn’t understand it.
Murkada, who had been betrayed, used, and abandoned—had sworn an oath to protect a human child.
It was a kind of forgiveness Raon didn’t think he was capable of.

“Just because a beast bites…”
Murkada smiled faintly, blood still dripping from his lips,
“…doesn’t mean I should become a beast too.”

Despite his orcish form, his words were more human than most people Raon had ever known.

“I will watch over your life… until the very end—through the eyes of that child.”

As he finished speaking, his body crumbled—
Wooosh!
Black ashes scattered into the still air, dissolving alongside the forms of the other orcs.

Then, from the place where Murkada had stood, a soft light rose—gentle and warm, like a final blessing.

***

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

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – MurimTang]

[Proofreader – Mayank]