Episode 586
Raon looked down at the baby fox and blinked.
“Get out of here?”
“okay! right now!”
The baby fox cried out, scratching the ground with its front paws.
‘It’s Merlin, right…?’
A normal Merlin would have said that she missed him as soon as they made eye contact, but she made a strange noise telling him to get out of Seyfia immediately. I swallowed my dry saliva from the unknown tension.
“Tell me in detail what you mean…”
As I was about to ask Merlin back, I felt the presence of elves behind me. As I heard the voice getting louder, it seemed like it was coming this way.
“Let’s go inside first… huh?”
Raon stopped while trying to hug the baby fox to enter the dorm. The baby fox possessed by Merlin seemed like a ghost and could not be caught.
‘Now that I think about it…’
I couldn’t look properly because I was surprised that Merlin had come all the way here, but I couldn’t feel the presence that a living person should have from this baby fox. It felt like I was seeing a spirit.
“Time like this… Get out anyway! “Go back to Sieghart….”
Merlin was unable to finish what he wanted to say, and it dispersed into a light fog.
“what?”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the scattered Merlin.
‘Did you look like that to break through the barrier?’
I turned my head to ask Lars.
-Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
The guy was foaming at the mouth as if he was surprised by Merlin’s appearance. It really doesn’t help.
‘It’s probably because of the barrier.’
It was said that the only people who could enter Limer, Erian, or Seifia were those who were invited by the elves.
What if I could at least break the barrier? Breaking through quietly is not something that even Merlin can do in a short period of time.
Seeing as the bushes moved on their own, it seemed like they had probably used the method of spiritizing the animals.
‘The reason he suddenly disappeared was because he lost strength.’
That’s amazing.
Merlin’s magical skills and obsession for bypassing Seifia’s barrier by creating a new method in one day felt both scary and amazing.
‘But…’
Why did you ask me to leave?
‘Is Oma attacking?’
I couldn’t think of anything else other than that. Among Ouma, it seemed most likely to be Eden.
‘No matter how much it is Eden, hitting Seyfia is… Ah!’
Raon chewed his lips and clenched his fists.
‘Could it be that it coincided with the time when the purification ritual was being performed?’
no. That’s what I was aiming for.
The fact that Stelin attacked just a day after entering the purification ritual was no different from knowing the time.
It meant that I was confident that I would win if I fought without him.
Raon quickly gathered his thoughts and headed to the guardians’ quarters where Rayran was. As I opened the door and entered, the guardians who were about to eat looked blankly in this direction.
The guardians’ gazes were sharp, perhaps because their meal was interrupted or because they were concentrating their full attention on guard.
-Sigh!
Lars, who had fainted, sniffed and lifted his head.
-Is it rice?
Ignoring the gazes of the guy and the elves, I approached Leiran and Erian’s table.
“Raon. Are you going to eat it too? “If you are the Spirit King’s contractor, I can prepare it for you.”
Erian now called out his name and gave up his seat.
“That’s not it. Did anything strange happen outside of Seyfia?”
“Out? “Are you talking about the Great Forest?”
“okay.”
“I went scouting a little while ago, but nothing special happened.”
He shook his head and said that he had left before eating.
“Could it be possible to see you one more time?”
“Raon.”
Leiran shook his head and stood up. The eyes looking at this direction were harsh.
“Erian and we stayed on guard until the Guardian came to consciousness, and then returned after scouting the Great Forest. “I was trying to catch my breath while eating my first meal in two days, but you interrupted me…”
“Raon. “Is that your feeling as a Spirit King contractor?”
Erian put down the fork he was holding and interrupted Rayran.
“Erian!”
“noisy. “That guy is the same as not being able to eat or sleep.”
Rayran rolled his eyes as if asking why, but Erian muttered that Raon was the same.
“Spirit King….”
Raon chewed his lips thinly, looking at Erian’s sunken eyes.
‘You damn bastard.’
Erian was so single-minded that it was tiresome. But now I had to use it at least.
“okay. “It’s my feeling.”
“good night.”
Erian nodded and stood up.
“If you say so, I should go.”
“Erian!”
“Everyone please follow.”
He pointed his finger at Leiran and the other subordinates, telling them to come back and have dinner.
The elves looked at Erian for a moment and then stood up. Looking at his expression that did not even show dissatisfaction, I could see how Erian usually treated his subordinates.
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Erian leaving the dorm ahead of him.
‘Is he a better guy than I thought?’
When I first saw him and attacked him, I thought he was crazy, but now I see him as a person with his own strengths.
-that!
Lars stretched out his thick hand as he looked at the fruit pie that Erian had put down.
-If you’re not going to eat it, at least give it to me! I’ve been starving for two days and my belly skin is sticking to my back!
‘…Absolutely not.’
If I stop the elves from eating and then eat the food, I won’t end up being called crazy. Even if you’re hungry and on the verge of death, you can’t touch it.
-The King will take responsibility! First of all, just the taste…
‘Follow me.’
Raon grabbed the head of Ras, who was struggling, and followed behind Erian.
* * *
“Siyan!”
Rimmer knocked on Siyan’s house and shouted for her to open the door.
“I’m going to sleep! “Brother, go!”
Siyan leaned against the door to block Rimmer from entering and shouted.
“La Raon. You won’t be hungry! “Hurry up and get me a meal.”
“He’s not a child, so if he’s hungry, he’ll eat on his own. “Just open the door!”
Rimmer raised his voice and said that if it was not opened, he would enter by force.
“I’m taking off my clothes to take a shower!”
Shi Yan shook his head and said never to come in.
“Ugh…”
Rimmer stopped his hand and stepped away from the door. You might not know it when you were young. It had been a long time since I became an adult, so I couldn’t open the door without permission.
“Siyan.”
“Why…”
“Don’t worry about them.”
Rimmer spoke as he faced the door that seemed so light, even though his younger brother was leaning against it.
“These are people whose specialty is to blurt out whatever comes out of their mouths without thinking. “I don’t know why we resemble each other in that way even though we hate humans.”
He shook his fists, saying that it was his regret that Ra On couldn’t fight because he was in a state of selflessness.
“I know.”
Siyan turned away from the door and chewed his lips.
“But it’s not wrong.”
The words were muttered softly so that Rimmer could not hear them.
A high elf who is worse than an elf. He is an incompetent child who has had flaws since birth.
It was such an infuriating thing to say, but it was even more frustrating that I couldn’t refute it.
‘I wasn’t born like this because I wanted to be.’
It would be understandable if I wasn’t selected by the World Tree because I was lazy and didn’t try hard, but I wasn’t talented from the moment I was born. It was both funny and frustrating to be treated like this because of my innate talent, which was neither my fault nor anyone else’s.
“Siyan….”
“Oppa. go.”
“But…”
“I’m really fine. “Go and prepare a meal for Raon.”
“Let’s eat together too.”
“I have this.”
Siyan opened the door and showed me a loaf of Nadin bread.
“under.”
Rimmer looked at Nadine Bread and sighed.
“okay. “I made that so you wouldn’t have to go out.”
He nodded briefly and turned his back.
“I’ll come back with Raon tomorrow.”
Siyan took off the blanket she had wrapped around herself as the sound of Rimer’s footsteps grew distant. The area around where my face was touching was slightly wet.
“Huh…”
She wiped away the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and shook her head.
‘It didn’t work this time either.’
After seeing Raon achieve enlightenment, I was motivated and tried to practice resonance, but the world still did not open a path for me. But I wasn’t disappointed.
‘Because reality is different from heroic stories.’
I liked hero stories since I was young.
When you read a book about a hero or listen to an adventure story, the main character easily overcomes crises and always wins, accumulating many feats. It is said that they never gave up and achieved victory.
‘But…’
It is not conveyed how difficult the hardship was or how much effort it took.
The world does not reflect the hardships of effort and only focuses on the aftermath of success. I was able to know this through the Raon I had seen in books and the Raon I had actually seen.
In Raon’s biography, it is said that he easily defeated all his enemies, but in reality, the backs of Raon’s hands and arms were full of wounds. I can’t even imagine what pain he battled to reach his current position or what efforts he made to become a Grand Master.
‘I don’t want to say cringe-inducing words that say I won’t give up until the end. But…’
I want to try as much as I can.
As Raon said, I wanted to try as hard as I could to see all the people who criticized me kneel down.
Siyan sat on the floor and closed her eyes. Warmth and coolness flowed from her breath, which flowed like a wind spreading deep underground.
* * *
“Then I’ll look west and come back.”
As soon as Raon left Seifia’s barrier, he turned his back to the right.
“The road to the great forest is complicated. “You might not come back.”
Erian frowned as if he was worried.
“are you okay. “Because I remember the road I once took.”
“As expected, the Spirit King’s contract!”
“….”
No matter how much I think about it, I don’t know why it has anything to do with the Spirit King.
“Anyway, it doesn’t feel good, so if there’s a problem, don’t fight, just send a signal right away.”
“i get it. I look east. Ray, you should go south.”
“All right.”
Leiran nodded briefly and headed straight south. He looked full of dissatisfaction, but when he came out, he seemed to be trying to focus on work.
“Then me too.”
Raon said hello to Erian and stepped on the Taehwabo to the right. After the presence of Erian and Rayran had completely disappeared, I stopped walking.
“Merlin. Merlin.”
I was sure that Merlin would be around here, so I called out his name softly. But she, who seemed like she would show up right away, didn’t show up for a long time.
‘what?’
Raon walked west and frowned.
‘Did I really overdo it?’
Considering her usual behavior, it seemed highly likely that she had passed out due to overexertion.
‘Then I guess I have to find it in the end.’
Raon sighed briefly and used Ring of Fire and Glacia at the same time.
Gooooooo!
The feeling of further growth as he ascended to the rank of Grand Master spread to his sons-in-law through the waves of folk tales.
A sensation that felt like the movement of plants, not just animals and insects, enveloped the forest, but there was no sign of any bad energy or humans.
‘Las.’
-There is none!
Lars shook his head.
-Nothing happened, but my meal was interrupted!
The guy gritted his teeth, asking why something always happened right after dinner time.
‘Really?’
-Did you see that King Bon was lying? There’s nothing left, so go get something to eat!
If Ras, who was no different from an automatic explorer, could say something like this, it meant that there was no real threat.
“But just a little more…”
It seemed like a lot of trust had been built up in Merlin.
I believe Ras’s words, but there was a possibility that it could appear through spatial movement, so I looked to the north and returned to the entrance of Seifia.
The Erian and Rayran guardians had already returned and were waiting.
“You came quickly.”
“Elves are connected to the forest, so the forest tells us about problems even if we don’t look at everything.”
Rayran shook his head, saying it was as simple as a human breathing.
Raon looked at her and nodded.
‘Well…’
It didn’t seem like it was wrong since Raylan and the Guardians were waiting for us when we first came here.
“how is it? “Did you find anything?”
“There was nothing.”
“You don’t look good.”
Erian nodded lowly, looking at Raon.
“Does it really feel that bad?”
“okay.”
“good night.”
He turned his gaze to Raylan and snapped his fingers.
“Also strengthen the external border.”
“yes? It has already been sufficiently strengthened. In addition, many people are missing because they are protecting the area near the World Tree…”
“Anyway, if this place is breached, that place will be there soon. “Move as instructed.”
“Erian. “No, brother!”
Rayran couldn’t bear it anymore and grabbed Erian’s sleeve.
‘brother?’
Raon blinked at the two people.
‘Now that I think about it…’
Ray and Erian had similar names, and there was something odd about their conversation, so they seemed to be brother and sister.
“I would have told you not to call me that during a mission.”
“This is too much. Why are those human words…”
“Regardless of the fact that they are human words, is there any harm to us by strengthening our guard? It’s just a little difficult. “Accept it.”
He waved his hand, saying he would take full responsibility and be the first to stand guard.
“Tch.”
Rayran looked back at Raon and clicked his tongue. The expressions on the other guardians who followed her were not good either.
Raon quenched his appetite as he watched Erian’s back returning to Seifia.
‘My first impression was the worst, but I’m fine on the inside.’
Surprisingly, it’s Jin-guk.
Seeing him like that made me even more unable to leave. If there was a really big problem, I really wanted to help.
-The king’s ship is not in good condition! Let’s go and eat right now!
‘Hmm…’
Raon looked up at the darkening sky and took a quick bite.
‘I guess I should at least send a message to Aris.’
Even if Merlin’s words were false, Aris would come and have a look. As soon as I got back, I decided to contact him through Dorian.
-The first thing to do is to fill the king’s stomach!
‘….’
-Stop ignoring me!
* * *
Hyeonmujeon’s training hall bathed in golden sunset.
Denier was watching Marta Buren Runan practice with his back turned.
“Martha. Your courage to always attack first is amazing, but it is meaningless if you don’t think about the future. “The enemy is not a scarecrow.”
“yes!”
Martha immediately accepted Denier’s teachings and raised her sword in the direction where the enemy could launch a counterattack.
“Buren. You have a good balance between attack and defense. He is an all-rounder who is not biased towards any one side. However, that doesn’t always lead to advantages. “It would be good to make a weapon that can definitely put an end to the enemy’s breathing.”
“All right.”
Burren perked up his ears as if he would not miss a single piece of Denier’s advice.
“Runan. You are the opposite of Martha. We focus too much on defense, so our offense is weak. “The fight isn’t just about protecting someone, so let’s try a swordsmanship that focuses a little more on attack.”
“yes.”
Runaan spoke brightly in a subdued tone and added sharpness to her sword strike.
“Martha. When performing that sword technique, it would be a good idea to lower your upper body a little lower. The enemy will counterattack…”
It was time for Denier to return to Marta and correct her posture.
Wow!
The door to the training hall swung open as if it would break, and Aris came in.
“You guys are training? “Hug me too.”
Aris quickly got between the four of them, as if he was interfering in a gambling game.
“Aris! Welcome!”
Marta approached Aris and her black pearl-like eyes sparkled.
“Am I really being guided by Aris?”
Buren also opened his mouth in surprise.
“Aunt,”
Aris wrinkled her nose as she looked at the two people.
“Call me aunt….”
“Aunt.”
The first to follow her instructions was Runaan, not Marta or Burren. She was hugged by Aris and cried out once again, “Gomorrha.”
“Yeah…”
Aris looked at Runaan and swallowed dry saliva.
“Let’s just say you’re my aunt too.”
She smiled awkwardly and stroked Runaan’s head.
“Anyway, it looks fun. “I will also give you appropriate guidance.”
Aris stood next to Denier and pointed her finger as if she didn’t care what other people said.
“Hmm…”
Burren and Marta Runan turned their heads to Denier, who had been teaching them so far.
“Let’s try.”
Denier blinked and said it was okay.
Buren and Marta Runan displayed their respective sword skills, and Aris looked at the three’s sword skills calmly, unlike when she appeared rough.
“Martha. You have a similar personality to me. “You’re the type of person who can’t resist and draws the sword first, right?”
“that’s right.”
Martha nodded happily.
“That strong personality can sometimes take its toll, but you can overcome it, so don’t worry.”
“How do I overcome it?”
“Spar with me.”
“Uh…”
She suddenly widened her eyes as if she had never even thought about sparring with Aris.
“next.”
Aris gave advice to Marta and then looked at Burren.
“You think too much. To change that, you need a lot of experience. Confirmed to spar with me!”
“Ah…”
Buren also opened his mouth.
“Runaan is so kind. It is a swordsmanship that puts others before yourself. You need to become a little more selfish. So spar with me!”
Aris grinned, inviting all three to spar.
“Because we’re going to spar right away. “Come prepared as if you were going to fight in real life.”
“yes!”
“all right.”
“yes.”
As she snapped her fingers, Marta Runan ran to the locker room to put on her gear.
“sister.”
Denier approached Aris and narrowed his eyes.
“What are you thinking?”
“what?”
“Aren’t you the type of person who naturally takes care of children? A person who even neglects his son….”
“I neglect him because he is my son. Nephews are cute.”
“That doesn’t make sense…”
“I’m done. What are you thinking?”
An eerie light flashed in Aris’ smiling eyes.
“You’re not the type of person to take care of children either.”
