Chapter 782

“Of course we should choose the Five Demons here!”
The one-handed elder roared, slamming his fist onto the table. His face was twisted with ferocity.

“The Five Kings don’t even treat us like humans! The Five Demons are pushing them back across the continent—choosing them is the only logical move if we want the Five Divine Orders to regain power!”
He scowled, lowering his white brows with conviction.

“The Five Demons are evil—far beyond mere ugliness.”
A woman with golden hair and piercing eyes calmly shook her head. Her voice was cold and sharp.

“Trusting those two-faced demons is suicide. They will discard us the moment we outlive our usefulness.”

She closed her eyes, her voice firm and steady.
“The Five Demons can’t be trusted.”

“I don’t care which side we choose… as long as I can fight.”
A middle-aged man with wild blue hair and a carefree air ran his hand along the spear resting on the table. He licked his lips, eyes gleaming.

“Lately… I’ve felt deeply unsatisfied.”
He took a long swig from the bottle in front of him, mumbling about how dull and frustrating life had become.

“That’s the problem with battle junkies. They don’t think—they just swing.”
The one-handed elder clicked his tongue in irritation, then turned his sharp gaze to the center of the table.

“Thespian Emperor. What do you think?”
He nodded toward the figure sitting in shadow.

“All three opinions are valid.”
A voice like velvet flowed from the darkness as Emperor Ariel leaned forward, her smile elegant and effortless.

Her beauty was so luminous, it made sunlight seem dim by comparison.

“We cannot stand idly by—we must choose one of the two factions. However…”
The Thespian Emperor, Ariel raised a single finger, her gaze sweeping across the other leaders of the Five Divine Orders.

“Let’s postpone our decision… for now.”

“But we don’t have much time, do we?”
Briget, the Queen of Swords, narrowed her eyes, her tone edged with urgency.

“Right now, both the Five Kings and the Five Demons are effectively holding an auction… to claim the power of the Five Divine Orders.”

Ariel, ever composed, met the eyes of Cairn, the Demon-Slaying Spear; Briget, the Queen of Swords; and Derek, the Demonblade.

“In an auction, the time keeps extending… until the final bid is made.”

She turned her gaze to the map on the table—a continent split down the middle between the Five Kings and the Five Demons.

“We won’t be too late… if we act after confirming which side offers the greatest reward.”

* * *

“Haha…”
As soon as Raon heard Helen’s words, he sprinted toward Federick’s mansion.

But when he reached the door, he stopped.
He didn’t open it. He just stood there—breathless. Frozen.

–What are you doing? Why aren’t you going in?!
Wrath flailed his arms in frustration.

Wrath muttered that he wanted to see his mother, waving his hands impatiently.

I’m… a little nervous.
Raon stared at the door.
He didn’t know what to say—to Rector, to Edgar…
To Sylvia.

His heart pounded, and his thoughts felt locked away in ice.

–Family problems fix themselves once everyone’s in the same room!
Wrath shoved him from behind like an impatient child.
–Now move!

Ah… alright.
Raon nodded, still dazed.
And stepped through the door of Federick’s mansion.

“You’re here.”
Federick smiled gently, then nodded toward the room where the three were resting—his expression saying everything: Go on in.

“Thank you.”
Raon bowed politely and stepped into Sylvia’s room.

He was nervous. Very nervous.
But what greeted him inside was… not at all what he’d expected.

“Damn fool!”

Sylvia was frowning—and furiously stomping on Edgar’s back.

“How could you even think of dying alone?! You should’ve looked for a way for all of us to survive together!”

“Ah, well, that’s…”

“What were we supposed to do if you died?! What were we supposed to live for, after losing you again?!”

She kept stomping, not giving Edgar a single chance to defend himself.

“I—I had no choice! I couldn’t think of anything but saving you and my father!”
Edgar shook his head, voice rising.
“You risked your life to save me and Sia too! It’s the same!”

He insisted he didn’t regret it—not even now. Saving the Rector and Sylvia had been his only thought.

“That’s not all!”
Sylvia’s eyes burned as she raised her fist.
“If you were alive, you should’ve contacted someone! Me, Raon—my father! Anyone!”

“That’s not fair!”
Edgar flinched, throwing up his hands.
“I couldn’t even move! There were monsters everywhere, and I couldn’t reach anyone! I’m still fighting that damn Death Knight’s soul!”

He shook his head hard, insisting that he had his own hell to deal with.

“Edgar, shut up. She’s completely right.”
The Rector frowned, siding with Sylvia without hesitation.

“You heard it, Father. It’s all your fault. Everything…”
Sylvia’s voice cracked as her raised fist fell limp.

She collapsed into a heap, tears streaming down her face.
She hadn’t really wanted to blame Edgar—she was just overwhelmed. The fear of losing her family again had broken through her composure.

“I’m sorry…”
Edgar pulled her into a hug, his voice trembling with guilt. He knew. He understood.
And still, all he could do was hold her and repeat his apologies.

–Mother! Don’t worry! This King shall protect you from now on!
Wrath soared through the room and proudly landed on Sylvia’s head.

Heh.
Raon let out a soft laugh despite himself.

With Sylvia’s hair tousled and teary, and Wrath perched proudly atop her like a feathery guardian, the scene looked less like a reunion and more like a bird nesting in a stormcloud.

“R-Raon!”
The Rector’s eyes widened in surprise as he finally noticed him.

“Raon! Are you alright? Does anything hurt?”
Sylvia shoved Edgar aside and rushed over, frantically checking Raon from head to toe.

“You didn’t… you didn’t do anything strange for me, did you? I couldn’t live with myself if you did.”
Her voice trembled, fear and guilt woven into every word.

“Please tell me you didn’t do anything reckless…”
Edgar clasped his hands together, practically pleading.

“Raon, I heard you’ve… done a lot.”
The Rector slowly pushed himself up from the bed, his expression heavy with concern.

“Tell us everything that’s happened.”
The Rector’s white brows furrowed, not from pain—but from concern for Raon.

“And Sia! What about Sia? She’s alive, right?!”
Sylvia clasped her hands tightly, her voice shaking with desperation.

Despite just waking up, the three of them weren’t focused on their own injuries or confusion.
They were worried about him—and about Sia.

Raon smiled softly.

So, this is family.

The Rector, Sylvia, Edgar… they all thought of others first.
Not their condition. Not their mana.
Just the people they loved.

Once again, he was reminded what family truly meant.

“Since there are a lot of questions… I’ll answer them all at once.”
Raon took a step back, meeting the trembling eyes of the three.

“Please—follow me.”

* * *

Raon entered the audience chamber with Sylvia, Edgar, and the Rector in tow.

“I’ve been waiting.”
Glenn rose from his throne, as if he had known they would come.

“Father.”
“Father-in-law, it’s an honor…”
Sylvia and Edgar instinctively lowered their heads, nearly kneeling before him.

“Enough with the greetings. Follow me.”
Glenn gestured to the Rector and turned, leading the way toward the basement.

“Let’s go.”
Raon nodded and guided the three down to where Sia was resting.

“Ah… I can’t believe it! I really… I really can hold her again!”

The moment Sylvia saw Sia lying on the bed, she rushed forward and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

“I never thought… I’d be able to hold her with my own hands again…”
Her voice trembled with joy, her tears falling silently as she clung to her daughter.

Edgar stayed close beside Sylvia, gently holding Sia’s hand—though she had yet to awaken.

“To think… this child is my granddaughter…”
The Rector stood silently, his gaze fixed on Sia as he bit his lip, as if feeling the weight of everything she had endured.

“Hm? Wait…”
Edgar’s eyes widened.
“Sia’s fighting spirit… it’s gone?”

His chin trembled, the realization hitting him all at once.

“Did you… expel the Green King?”
He turned to Raon, eyes filled with hope.

“Y-Yes… that’s right.”
Sylvia swallowed hard, her eyes locked on Sia. The fierce pressure that once surrounded her daughter was gone—now replaced by a serene, pure aura.

“Raon… what happened during all this time?”
She bit her lip, her voice trembling as if begging him to explain.

“It’s… a bit of a long story.”
Raon motioned for them to sit. As Sylvia, the Rector, and Edgar settled in, he remained standing before them.

“Thanks to the Sir Rector stopping the jewel’s explosion, we survived. But… Mom was seriously injured because the remnant  didn’t disappear.”
He paused, then continued in a steady voice.

“After that…”

Raon gave a brief but clear account of everything that had happened—his voice calm, his gaze meeting each of theirs in turn, grounding the truth with every word.

“…And that’s how we were able to revive Sister’s soul.”
He lowered his eyes for a moment.
“Actually… it wasn’t me who did it. It was Murkada.”

Raon stepped back after finishing his explanation—how Murkada had been the one to save Sia’s soul.

“A benefactor… and a saint.”
Edgar exhaled deeply, gently holding Sia’s hand.

“To leave behind such an unpayable debt… and disappear just like that…”
He gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated that he couldn’t thank Murkada face-to-face.

“If only we’d met him a little earlier…”
Sylvia sighed, her voice full of quiet regret. She, too, wished she’d had the chance to meet the one who had saved her daughter.

“Raon, there’s one thing I’m still curious about.”
The Rector, who had been quietly watching Sia, finally spoke.

“The Fallen wouldn’t have been affected by the explosion. So… how did you defeat him?”
His eyes narrowed, sharp with doubt and curiosity.
He simply couldn’t picture how Raon had taken down someone like that.

“Mmm…”

Wrath swallowed hard, as if realizing it was finally time to tell his part of the story.

“I’ll explain that part now.”
Raon stepped back, his gaze shifting to the four people before him—including Glenn, who had waited without question, even knowing the truth about the Demon King.

“When the Fallen moved to kill us while we were completely defenseless… I borrowed the power of a friend.”

He lightly touched the ice flower bracelet on his wrist, lips pressing together.

“A… friend?”
“What kind of friend could defeat the Fallen?”
The Rector and Sylvia stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief.

“…”
Edgar, who seemed to suspect the answer, went unusually quiet.

–I-It’s a little embarrassing…
Wrath squirmed under the weight of the room’s attention, clearly flustered.

You don’t need to be embarrassed.
Raon gently patted Wrath’s head.

Thanks to you… the people here were able to survive.

Although many people had contributed to the war, there was no doubt—Wrath had played the most pivotal role.
Without him, everyone aside from Glenn would’ve either been killed or kidnapped by the Fallen.
Calling him the main contributor to their victory was no exaggeration.

“It’s… a Demon King.”
Raon took a breath, steadying himself before revealing the truth.

“A D-Demon King?!”
“A Demon King, you say?!”
Sylvia and the Rector’s eyes went wide in shock, nearly on the verge of tears.

“Yes. I borrowed the power of my friend—the Demon King—to fight the Fallen.”

“N-No! That’s not possible! If you borrowed the power of a Demon King, you’d have to offer your soul!”
The Rector recoiled, unable to process it fully.

Sylvia rushed to Raon and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing.

“No! I won’t let you go—no matter what! Take mine instead!”
She shouted through tears, still weak from her recovery, yet ready to offer her life in his place.

“Hmph… It seems you didn’t offer your soul after all.”
The Rector exhaled, finally calming down as he noticed Raon’s relaxed demeanor.

“Yes. Not my soul, but…”
Raon chuckled, glancing at Wrath—whose face was now flushed bright red.

“…I just have to give him delicious food.”

“Food?”
“You just need to give him food?”
“W-What do you mean…”

This time, it wasn’t just Sylvia and the Rector—
Even Edgar and Glenn were left speechless.

“He especially likes the food Mom makes at the annex.”
Raon waved his hand casually, as if saying the whole matter was no big deal.
“The Demon King just needs to have his appetite satisfied.”

“Eh? What?”
Sylvia blinked, completely lost—her brain clearly refusing to catch up.

“Wait! So… I came back to life thanks to the Demon King’s power too?”
Edgar rubbed his chest, realization finally dawning on his face.

“Ah, no. That was a different Demon King.”

“T-Two Demon Kings…?”

Now even Edgar looked like he might pass out.
The silence that followed was heavy—thick with disbelief and sheer mental fatigue.

Sylvia slumped into a chair, clearly dizzy from the overwhelming revelation.

“To think… our son is friends with Demon Kings. Two of them, at that…”

“Good!”
Edgar, in complete contrast, threw his fist into the air with excitement.

“Father! Did you hear that? Your grandson is friends with Demon Kings!”
He spread his arms wide, grinning ear to ear.
“I’ve never even seen a Demon King—but he’s friends with them! This is historic!”

“Oh, you fool!”
Sylvia scowled and smacked Edgar on the back.

Despite having been apart for over twenty years, the two of them bickered like a couple that had never been separated.
Raon couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

“Raon.”
The Rector stepped closer, his expression serious.

“Is your… friend here now?”

“Yes.”
Raon nodded calmly.
“He’s watching from beside me.”

As he spoke, he nudged Wrath gently with his shoulder.
The Demon King, who had been slightly trembling under all the attention, flinched.

“I see.”
The Rector straightened his robes, then knelt on one knee before Wrath.

“On behalf of the Holy Sword Alliance, I offer my gratitude to the Demon King.”
He bowed his head respectfully, showing his thanks despite knowing Wrath’s true identity.

“That’s right. That should come first.”
Edgar slapped his own cheek lightly and dropped to one knee beside the Rector.

“Demon King… thank you for saving my son and daughter.”

Edgar smiled as he conveyed his thanks to Wrath.
“If there’s any food you want, just say the word.”

Sylvia followed suit, bending her knees and bowing deeply.
“Thank you… for protecting all of us. Truly…”
Her eyes turned red as she lowered her head, overcome with emotion.

“Thank you.”
Even Glenn knelt down beside the three, his expression as solemn as ever.
“On behalf of House Zieghart… I offer my gratitude.”
He bowed his head, not as the head of the house—but simply as someone who was thankful.

–T-This King simply…
Wrath’s lips trembled. He clearly hadn’t expected anything like this.

–I just did what I could! Because it was annoying!
He whipped around, nose red and voice sharp—but not sharp enough to hide the quiver in it.

Are you… crying?
Raon blinked as he watched him turn away.

–W-What crying! I’m just… surprised! It’s the first time so many humans know my identity and still thank me!
Wrath sobbed and shouted at the same time, his voice cracking as he tried to cover up his emotions.

Raon had expected him to puff out his chest and accept the praise like it was only natural.
But no—this Demon King was truly something else.

You deserve it.
Raon smiled softly and patted Wrath’s back.

“…And you too, Raon.”
Glenn stood up, a rare warmth in his expression as he looked at his grandson.

“What? Why me…?”
Raon blinked, caught off guard.

“Even with the power of a Demon King at your side, defeating the Fallen isn’t something just anyone can do.”
Glenn’s voice was calm and steady.
“You’ve been through a lot.”

Glenn gently patted Raon’s head.
It wasn’t the cold, commanding presence of a patriarch—
but the quiet gesture of a family man who simply wanted to protect his own.

“I feel the same.”
The Rector stepped forward with a warm gaze and took Raon’s hand.

“You must’ve been more exhausted than anyone… but thank you—for fighting to the end without giving up.”
His gentle smile was the same one he wore back when he first taught Raon swordsmanship.

“No, I…”
Raon waved his hands, flustered.
“No, it was simply what I had to do.”

He bowed his head respectfully to both Glenn and the Rector.

“…”
Sylvia stood in silence, watching her son exchange words with his two grandfathers.
The tears she had been holding back finally rolled down her cheeks.

“Well…”
Edgar spoke up, breaking the emotional silence.
“We can’t just thank you with words, right? Raon—and Demon King—do you want anything?”

Edgar raised his hand, gesturing to Raon like a messenger.
“Go on, ask what the Demon King wants.”

–What’s the point of asking?!
Wrath raised his head, wiping the snot that had started to dribble down his nose.

–Food! And not just any food—this King demands a feast! A mountain of dishes so large, even I can’t finish them all!
–And bring all the bead ice cream! All of it!
He smacked his round belly proudly and declared that the Lord’s Mansion should be overflowing with food.

“He says… he wants to have a feast. With lots of dishes.”
Raon nodded calmly, delivering the summary without a hint of drama.

–Don’t simplify it like that! Say it properly!
Wrath grabbed a handful of Raon’s hair, shaking him in protest.

“Ah… then it must be the Demon King of Gluttony!”
Edgar clapped, as if he had finally solved a great mystery.

–No!!
Wrath screamed at Edgar, absolutely offended.

–Don’t compare me to that glutton! I’m the Monarch of Wrath!
Wrath shook his head furiously, demanding that Raon correct the record.

Gluttony… Honestly, that title fits pretty well too.
Raon smiled faintly, watching Wrath and Edgar excitedly mumble to each other about food, oblivious to the irony.

–Ugh… I want to freeze them all…
Wrath grumbled, glaring at both of them.
–But since I received thanks… this King shall restrain himself—just for today.

Just as Wrath puffed up, declaring his merciful restraint, a sharp whistling sound sliced through the air.

Whoosh!
A burst of cold enveloped the room.

Silver Frost appeared out of nowhere—
and instantly wrapped around Wrath, freezing him in mid-rant.

***

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]