The Fragrant Sound Technique
Roen watched Raon assume his stance and let out a faint smile. “This is the first time, so it must be difficult.”
Sound martial arts were undoubtedly a type of martial arts, but their method of operation and activation differed significantly from swordsmanship. Even if Raon reached the Master rank and possessed talent, it was impossible to replicate it simply by observing once.
“Still, your confidence is admirable.”
Was it because he was young? Or because he had accomplished so much? Raon’s eyes shone with the confidence that he could achieve it in a single glance. Roen nodded, pleased by such youthful vigor and self-assurance.
“So, it begins now?”
Seeing Raon’s gaze, it seemed he was about to start. To offer advice, he loosened his guard and listened intently.
Kiiik!
The silver blade rose from the sword sheath’s end, scraping against it.
The grating sound, like a discordant note, vibrated the air, followed by a clear sword cry that erupted in a fierce roar.
Uuuuuung!
The aura infused with heat raced along the sound, delivering a powerful echo to Roen’s ears. His mind cleared as if splashed with cold water.
“Hah!”
Roen swallowed hard. “What in the world…”
His head was spinning from the shock. The only thing clear was that Raon had started by infusing aura into the sound from the very beginning—a mad feat.
“You’ve gone mad.”
He had thought Raon was a genius, but it seemed he had underestimated him. He was a monster beyond his imagination.
“The process of creating the sound and infusing it with aura was perfect.”
Raon had used the friction sound of the quick-draw and the sword cry after drawing the blade to create the sound, and then infused it with aura. Achieving this on the first try was unbelievable.
“If that sound had carried killing intent, it would have been dangerous.”
Raon hadn’t infused the sound with killing intent. It seemed he focused only on infusing the sound with aura. Of course, even that alone was enough to make one want to sit down in amazement.
“Mm…”
Roen narrowed his eyes at Raon’s slightly furrowed brows. “Is he thinking about why it didn’t work?”
Raon seemed to be pondering why the sound lacked attack intent.
“That is only natural.”
Since he hadn’t seen anyone using sound to attack, if it had worked, it would be even stranger. The ambition to think about the next move right after such a tremendous achievement was astonishing.
“Even alone, you could probably do it.”
Raon possessed the talent of a great master who could create martial arts on his own. If so, he would naturally discover how to infuse killing intent into the sound, but Roen wanted to give him more time and the opportunity to create something better.
Roen saw Raon tilting his head and smiled as if he had made a decision.
***
“Uhm.”
Raon clicked his tongue while looking at the Heavenly Sky Sword. “How unfortunate.”
He had clearly sent the sword cry to Roen with the intention of attacking, but that intent hadn’t transferred to the sound. It had only produced a loud sound infused with aura.
“Much harder than a sword.”
Unlike swordsmanship with a clear medium, infusing aura into the sound that extends in an instant was extremely difficult. Not only the aura, but also the will to attack had to be contained, complicating his mind.
“Still, it’s not impossible.”
Since he had succeeded in infusing aura into the sound on the first try, it should be possible to infuse killing intent to target the eardrum in the future, even if it takes some time.
“If I use the principles I have…”
By mixing the principles of Ten Thousand Flames, the Ring of Fire, and the martial arts principles he had learned so far, he could create a martial art that infused the desired sound with aura, even if it took time.
“Chief Steward.”
When Raon was about to move after setting his goal, Roen approached. His voice and eyes were noticeably shaken, as if surprised.
“Amazing. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d succeed from the start.”
“That would be only half a success.”
“Are you referring to the attack intent?”
“Yes. It’s as difficult as when I first learned the Heavy Sword.”
He nodded. He hadn’t ignored the sound martial arts, but it seemed it would require much more time and effort than expected.
“Infusing aura into sound is not an easy task. You’ll need principles to serve as a medium instead of a material. Yua, come here too.”
Roen called Yua, who was standing blankly, and placed her beside him.
“Since I was going to tell Yua as well, now is a good time.”
He raised a finger and smiled faintly.
“What I will teach you is the Fragrant Sound Technique, a sound martial art. If you master it properly, you will be able to spread the sound naturally like a fragrance.”
“Me too? You’re going to teach me as well?”
Raon opened his eyes wide. It was understandable that Roen was teaching Yua, whom he considered a disciple, but he hadn’t thought Roen would teach him too.
“Of course.”
“Why…”
Even if they were from the same family, teaching one’s personal martial art to non-disciples or non-relatives was extremely rare. Especially to Roen, who had lived as an assassin and was telling him so easily.
“Hmm, if you ask that, it’s not easy to answer. I can’t tell you everything I think, after all.”
Roen scratched his chin and smiled.
“Still, to be a bit honest, Raon seems like a person who enjoys being watched and wants to help.”
“Eh?”
The unexpected answer made his mouth open.
“Earlier, when you couldn’t infuse your will into the sound, did Raon think about what the problem was and how to fix it himself?”
“Yes.”
Raon nodded. As Roen said, he had pondered why the will didn’t transfer to the sound.
“Most others would have asked me first instead of trying to find the method themselves. It’s very rare for someone in that state to seek the answer on their own. That’s why I wanted to help.”
Roen’s expression was calm. There was no trace of the earlier wavering.
“Me too? Can I listen as well, Roen?”
“Of course. I was planning to tell Yua soon as well.”
Since Yua was also learning Roen’s aura manipulation method, it seemed she was joining this teaching.
“I want you both to develop the Fragrant Sound Technique further and create sounds unique to the two of you.”
Roen smiled and recited the principles of the Fragrant Sound Technique.
“Woo!”
Julius exhaled a rough breath while watching the three people gathered closely.
“They didn’t forget about us, right…”
***
Runaan left the room when lunch was almost over and headed to the Sward family training ground.
“Oh, Runaan!”
Lokan Sward, watching the swordsmen’s training on the training ground, rushed over as soon as he saw her.
“You returned yesterday, but you’re already trying to train? You can rest today.”
Lokan had planned to finish training quickly to enjoy snack time with Runaan, so he blocked her path with a flustered expression.
“No.”
Runaan shook her head flatly. Her eyes were sharp, but they held firm resolve.
“You prepared ice cream too?”
“Ugh…”
At the mention of ice cream, a small crack appeared in Runaan’s firm expression.
“Still, no. I’ll eat the ice cream later.”
After a moment of thought, Runaan turned her back, covering her ears.
“Even ice cream? Refusing it too…”
Lokan let out a sigh. Refusing ice cream meant Runaan was in an emergency situation—something big was wrong.
“W-what’s wrong! Did you get hurt somewhere?”
“No, I’m not hurt.”
“Then why…”
Lokan’s mouth opened in surprise at the unexpected situation.
“To protect my family.”
Runaan said calmly that she wanted to protect everyone in the family.
“P-protect?”
“Yes. I will protect everyone. So they can’t touch them.”
She nodded, clenching her fists.
“Hah!”
Lokan clutched his chest and sat down. Otherwise, his heart would have burst out.
“Guek, she’s back! My good daughter has returned!”
He felt as if he could fly in the sky, thinking his daughter’s interest had returned to the family after being taken by Raon.
“Raon! This guy! Our daughter will eventually be yours, not me…”
“Why are you calling Raon ‘jonjal’ all the time?”
“Huh? J-jonjal?”
Lokan’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar word.
“What does ‘jonjal’ mean?”
“It means ‘insanely/extremely handsome guy.’ There’s a similar word like ‘overly handsome.’”
Runaan explained ‘jonjal’ and ‘overly handsome’ in a calm face. Encia’s indoctrination education was taking effect.
“So Raon is…”
“Yes. Raon is overly handsome and insanely handsome.”
“W-what…”
Lokan chewed his lip. He wanted to object, but couldn’t find the words. The Raon he saw this time was so handsome that it was impossible not to say it.
“No! It doesn’t matter! Whether Raon is handsome or not didn’t matter. He was satisfied just that Runaan’s interest had returned.”
“Runaan, why did you suddenly think of protecting your family?”
Lokan asked a new question to redirect Runaan’s interest back to himself. But that was a line he shouldn’t have crossed.
“Jonjal Raon said that family must be protected with one’s own hands. I will definitely protect my dad and mom.”
Runaan nodded big and went to the corner of the training ground to start swinging her sword.
“Eh…”
Lokan opened his mouth wide while watching Runaan’s back.
“So, it wasn’t that interest had returned…”
Because of that damned Raon?
He thought it was good that interest had returned. He thought Raon had gotten on her nerves, but that wasn’t the case. Runaan had become a disciple who followed Raon’s words.
“This is the end…”
Lokan screamed to the sky.
“I’m dead.”
He gripped the sword hilt with a dazed expression as if he had given up.
“Just die already!”
“Uwaaaaaak!”
“Stop it!”
“Catch him now!”
The Sward family swordsmen watching the situation rushed over and grabbed Lokan’s limbs.
“Release! I can’t live like this! My cute and lovely Runaan is being corrupted by such a scoundrel!”
The swordsmen were swept away by Lokan’s furious gestures.
“Ma’am! Call the madam!”
“Yes!”
There was only one person who could stop this, so the swordsman closest to the residence ran madly.
“Jonjal.”
Runaan muttered the words she learned from Encia, whether or not, and swung her sword.
***
A week had passed since Raon learned the Fragrant Sound Technique.
The principles of the Fragrant Sound Technique had become a line connecting sound, aura, and killing power, and a low-level expert could reach the level where they could stop the opponent’s movements with just the sound of the quick-draw.
Raon took the stance of the quick-draw and operated the Ten Thousand Flames’ energy. He lifted his wrist holding the sword hilt slightly upward and drew the Heavenly Sky Sword.
Uuuuuung!
Along with the friction between the blade and the sheath, the thunderous sword cry rang out.
Paaaaang!
A wave of sound extending in an instant caused a huge echo in the lake in front. As if a magic had exploded, the center of the lake sank deeply and then spurted out blue water like a fountain.
“Hmm…”
Raon narrowed his eyes at the water droplets falling like rain. “Not enough.”
The Fragrant Sound Technique, which infused aura and killing intent into the sound, was somewhat mastered, but developing it was slow.
“Woo, enough! What exactly is lacking?!”
Wrath covered his ears as if complaining and popped out.
“It’s been a week without sleep because of you, so please stop already!”
“…Sorry.” Raon bowed his head to Wrath. No matter how much of a tenant, he had to protect what he could, so he immediately apologized.
“From what I see, your technique right now matches the one shown by that mentor. The difference in proficiency will be resolved with time, so stop and get some sleep!”
“Ah! Okay.” He clapped and gripped the sword hilt again.
“Nooo! You said okay! Why are you holding the sword! What do you mean you know what’s lacking?!”
“You damned monster!”
After Wrath’s scream, he drew the Heavenly Sky Sword. The sound advancing with the friction borrowed the power of aura and sliced the lake’s waves diagonally.
“Done!” By mixing the cheerful principle into the Fragrant Sound Technique’s principles, he made the sound and aura move faster.
Since he had successfully infused the swordsmanship’s subtlety into the sound for the first time, a smile unconsciously formed on his face.
“You crazy!”
Wrath felt it too and opened his mouth wide.
“H-how is it so fast…”
“You gave me the hint.”
“Eh? What hint?”
“The difference in proficiency. Since I have higher proficiency in swordsmanship than in Fragrant Sound Technique, I gave more weight to swordsmanship rather than sound.”
This time, imagining shooting out a fast sword qi, he increased the speed of sound and aura. Thanks to the hint of proficiency Wrath gave and the previous advice that using the imagination well would do it, he achieved a small success.
“Thank you.”
Raon smiled wickedly and waved at Wrath.
“Ah, this king… this king’s mouth…”
Wrath collapsed to the floor, hitting his own mouth.
“So, next.” Since he had succeeded in infusing the cheerful subtlety into the sound, he gripped the sword hilt again to infuse weight this time.
“Master.”
When he was about to draw the sword, Judiel’s voice came from behind.
“I brought the snack.”
With that, she placed a tray on the table, and under the plate with cake slices was a thin paper.
“Thank you.”
Raon wiped his hands with a handkerchief and sat at the table. He took a sip of tea and unfolded the book underneath.
“Dokoe originally belonged to the Zieghart direct line and the Elder Council, but now his affiliation is ambiguous.”
Judiel’s eyes darkened.
“Ambiguous?”
“Yes. It was a long time ago, so I didn’t know either, but it seems he negotiated with the Patriarch and obtained freedom. Now he uses the name Zieghart, but he is not affiliated with Zieghart.”
“So he wandered the continent freely.”
Raon nodded while flipping the book. Dokoe was a person with outstanding skills in gambling, drinking, and martial arts, roaming the entire continent and leaving countless anecdotes.
“The Three Pledges are the best among them.” The most famous was the Three Pledges, where if Dokoe acknowledged someone in gambling, drinking, and martial arts, they could fulfill any wish.
Many people had challenged him, but all failed, and Dokoe was still looking for someone to tease.
“I never thought such a freak would be in Zieghart.”
I don’t know why someone who escaped the family would come back. The book didn’t mention that.
“Dokoe has a personality that doesn’t talk well about his own affairs, so that wasn’t revealed. Originally a wandering type, he stayed here for quite a while.”
“I know the reason. There’s a fool who comes periodically to bring money. Where else would he go?”
Raon chuckled. If there was an elf who came every time money was made to gamble, he wouldn’t think of going elsewhere either.
“Are you planning to gamble with Dokoe and the Three Pledges?”
“Yes. I have to take a lot from him.”
“Gambling is one thing, but Dokoe is very strong at drinking. I heard you haven’t tried drinking, Master, but if you use aura to suppress the alcohol, he’ll notice.”
Judiel frowned worriedly.
“Don’t worry. I never get drunk on alcohol.”
Raon waved his hand. This confidence wasn’t just because he was strong against alcohol. “Because of the Ring of Fire.”
The Ring of Fire had the effect of keeping the body and mind at the highest state at all times. Even Glenn hadn’t confirmed if he mastered the Ring of Fire, so it was impossible for Dokoe to notice the Ring of Fire.
“Alcohol is not a problem.” With the power of the Ring of Fire, his body was constantly purified, and the difference in the amount of alcohol accumulating in Dokoe’s drinking was negligible.
Gambling was the same. With a Demon Lord there, he couldn’t lose even if he wanted to.
“The real problem is… martial arts.”
In the third bet, martial arts, he had to receive recognition from Dokoe to make his wish.
“Still lacking.” He put down the teacup and stood up. Gambling was Wrath’s, alcohol was the Ring of Fire’s, but there was no method for martial arts. The best was to develop it through training.
Raon went back to the lake and drew his sword again. The explosive sound from the silver blade pressed the center of the lake.
Judiel bowed to Raon and quietly stepped back.
***
Three weeks later.
Raon was still standing in front of the lake. For a long time, he didn’t move, looking at the lake as if appreciating the scenery.
Nodding as if he had made up his mind, he placed his hand on the sword hilt. At the moment his eyes sparkled, his hand flowed like clouds.
Srrung.
The sword was drawn. Instead of the eerie friction sound as before, a smooth sound like cutting tofu and a refined sword cry accompanied it.
The sharp blade spread a clear sound toward the world, but there was no change. The lake, carrying a gentle breeze, had only small ripples.
Raon put the Heavenly Sky Sword back into the sheath without changing his expression at all. At that moment.
Paaaaang!
A huge explosion occurred in the center of the lake, and the water paths spurted up to reach the clouds.
“Done.”
Raon tapped the sheath and smiled. The successful martial art now was the subtlety of the Heavy Sword. It was a new art that compressed the sound’s cohesion from the application of the Fragrant Sound Technique into a large sound infused with aura.
Thanks to training while skipping sleep for the past three weeks, he had succeeded in infusing the swordsmanship’s subtlety into the sound martial art, and he had become familiar with the new subtlety. The effort paid off, and strength flowed into his hands.
“Truly, I’m bored to death.”
Wrath popped out from the bracelet like smoke. His eyes were slightly bloodshot as he glared up.
“Repeating the same thing every day, aren’t you bored of it?!”
“It’s fun.” It felt like it was developing day by day, so how could it be boring. It was just fun.
“Now let’s go! Whether it’s gambling or drinking, finish quickly and give this king ice cream!”
“I was already planning to go anyway.” Raon nodded. He couldn’t defeat Dokoe, but he had plenty of confidence to receive his recognition. He picked up the outer robe hanging on the chair and headed toward the annex.
“By the way, where did all the money you scraped together go? You need that money to gamble, don’t you?”
Wrath tilted his head in question.
“I put it in my wallet.”
“Wallet? You don’t carry something like a wallet!”
“I called it, so it should come soon?”
“W-wallet? What crazy talk…”
“Ah, there it is.”
Raon raised a finger toward the garden.
“Chief Steward!”
Dorian, whose belly pouch had slightly bulged during the break, came running while waving his hand.
“There it is. My wallet.”
Raon looked at Dorian’s belly pouch and smiled wickedly.
“Hah…”
Wrath shook his head as if it was nothing, looking at Raon calling a person a wallet.
“Is this guy even human?”
No matter how you looked at it, the Demon Realm suited him more…