Two Things You Want

Wrath drifted up into the air and glared at Glenn from head to toe.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this?"

"Two things?! Even this frozen old fossil is at it now! Why is everyone so desperate to shower this brat with gifts the moment they lay eyes on him?!"

He shrieked as if demanding to know whether the world had any right to work this way.

"My lord."

Raon ignored Wrath and stepped before Glenn once more.

"What you just said—did you mean it?"

"I did."

Glenn gave a haughty little nod. His long fingers pointed toward Sheryl, Roen, and Rimer, who stood below the dais.

"Look at those three. If I send you off without pressing something into your hands, they'll chatter at me until dawn. I have no choice but to give you something decent."

"Then why ask me to name two things?"

He had already been given a Gold Tablet—the greatest reward of all. Asking for a single request would have been more than enough. Two was bound to raise questions.

"What you accomplished was so incredi—it's been noisy enough. Just spit out what you want, already!"

Glenn turned his head aside as if the whole affair bored him and flicked his hand.

"How long do you intend to keep me awake?"

The aura that had warmed, just slightly, froze over again and settled like a weight across Raon's shoulders.

"You old geezer!"

Wrath ground his teeth at Glenn.

"If you're going to get that angry, you shouldn't have offered in the first place!"

Tears even welled in his eyes, as if he had never imagined that Glenn, of all people, would turn into a sucker too.

"My apologies."

"What's he talking about?"

Rimer's voice drifted up from behind as Raon bowed his head.

"You summoned him first, and now you're complaining you can't sleep? Even you have to admit that doesn't make—ghk!"

"Shut it."

The moment Rimer shrugged, Sheryl drove a fist into his side.

"Rimer…"

Glenn had, of course, heard every word. He stared at Rimer as if he meant to kill him.

The air grew colder still. Raon's fingertips trembled, just slightly. He's not wrong, but he's an idiot. Rimer's point was perfectly fair—it simply was not something you said to the Head of House's face. The man was a mystery, every time you saw him.

What I want, huh… Thanks to the Sepia Merchant Guild's aid, he had expected the Gold Tablet. Additional rewards had not even crossed his mind. He turned the matter over quickly, settling on what he needed most right now.

"First, I need martial manuals on throwing daggers."

"Throwing daggers? You're taking those up now?"

"I'm still unskilled, but I've been practicing."

"Then why ask for manuals on them?"

"I asked Borgos, the continental master smith I met through the Sepia Merchant Guild, to forge throwing daggers for me. I want to learn a martial art worthy of those blades."

The dagger techniques he already knew were remnants of his days among the Shadows. He could not use those. What he wanted from Glenn was a foundation—manuals he could take apart and rebuild into an entirely new art of his own.

"Borgos. You mean the chieftain of the Gray Hammer Guild? I hadn't heard that part."

Glenn flicked his fingers, impatient for him to get on with it.

"To put it simply…"

Raon went on to explain the deal he had struck with Borgos—the part he had left out of his earlier report.

"…I see."

Glenn sank deep into the back of his seat and nodded.

"Do you have a particular manual in mind?"

"If you would recommend one, my lord, I would receive it with gratitude."

Glenn had once handed over Mad Fang Sword—a sword art nearly impossible to obtain even with a Gold Tablet—in exchange for a single Silver Tablet. Raon entrusted the choice to him now in the quiet hope that he would make a similar mistake.

"Ahem. Very well. I shall select something appropriate."

Glenn covered his mouth, cleared his throat, and nodded.

"Then what is your second request?"

"I would like a serviceable saber."

Raon glanced once at the sword at his hip, then bowed his head.

"A saber? Why would a swordsman want a saber?"

"It isn't for me. It's a weapon for my vassal."

"Your vassal?"

"I had meant to report this as well."

"You do make things tedious. Out with it."

For all the complaint in his words, a faint light gathered in Glenn's eyes as he gestured for Raon to continue.

"Yes. Before the Succession Test, a problem arose with Phalen Sefia, and…"

Raon gave a brief account of how he had come to take Mark Goetten into his service.

"…So this Mark Goetten follows you, then?"

"He does."

"You've packed every kind of trouble imaginable into such a short span of time."

Glenn let out a disbelieving breath.

"What I don't understand is why you took him in. Is he not a failure?"

"He's already endured a long, dark stretch of failure. From here on, I believe only success awaits him. You can't change the past—but you can change the future."

Watching Mark climb that mountain had given him his certainty. He could not swear the man's strength would grow, but his spirit would climb higher. Of that, Raon had no doubt.

"…Is that so."

Something bitter passed through Glenn's eyes. He nodded.

"Very well."

He flicked his fingers, and a golden dimension opened in the air.

A deep, resonant hum rolled through the chamber. A grand dimensional gate unfurled, and dozens of sabers burst forth, filling the space before them. Every last one was a weapon worthy of being called a famed blade.

"Choose the saber yourself."

"Yes, my lord."

Raon selected a black saber close in form to the weapon Mark Goetten had originally used. Along the blade, a name was inscribed.

"I'll take this one."

"Then only the manuals remain."

Glenn flicked his fingers a second time. The sabers crowding the air vanished into the dimension, and two books flew out in their place.

"Take them."

"Huh? This is two volumes…"

"They come as a set."

"A set…?"

Raon examined the books Glenn had given him.

The names were so different they could not possibly belong together.

"White Lightning Flying Daggers emphasizes speed. Great Explosive Daggers emphasizes power. You would take those two arts and fuse them into something new—hence, a set. Am I wrong?"

Glenn's words suddenly came out about one and a half times faster. If Raon said no, the books were as good as confiscated. He nodded at once.

"I-it is a set, yes. Thank you."

A good outcome, either way. Raon bent at the waist and offered Glenn a bow of genuine gratitude.

"Youuuuu!"

Wrath stretched his body out long and shoved his face into Glenn's.

"That's not two things—that's three! This old fossil is the sucker of all suckers! A complete mark!"

He seized Glenn by the collar and shook him wildly. It had no effect whatsoever, of course, but Raon's heart hammered anyway, just in case.

Keeping his expression as composed as he could, Raon stepped closer to Glenn.

"My lord. There's some dust on you."

Under the pretext of brushing it off, he flung Wrath—still clinging to Glenn's collar—aside.

"Hrm."

Glenn knew there had been no intent to harm him. He stared at Raon anyway, with a gaze cold enough to freeze the blood.

"If you've received everything, you may go."

His voice had grown colder still. He flicked his hand as if shooing a fly.

"Yes, my lord."

Raon bowed once more and descended from the dais.

"My thanks to both of you as well. Truly."

He offered his gratitude to Sheryl and Roen, who had cheered for him and spoken in his praise.

"What did we even do? You did all of it yourself."

"Indeed. It is all the vice-leader's achievement."

Both of them smiled and told him to go rest.

"Hey! What about me?"

Left out of the thanks entirely, Rimer jabbed a finger at himself.

"Oh. You were still here?"

"You were stiiill heeere? You little—! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten any of that! I could shower you with money and it still wouldn't be enough!"

Raon had only been teasing—but the man wasn't wrong.

"Thank you for looking out for me, Squad Leader. I'll see you tomorrow."

At the cliff.

Raon smiled and bowed his head to Rimer.

"Heh! Right. Off you go."

Whatever offense Rimer had taken seemed to melt away. He grinned brightly and waved.

Raon gathered the saber, the two martial manuals, and the Gold Tablet, and left the Audience Chamber.

A full minute after Raon had gone, Glenn finally let his back settle against the throne and released a long breath.

"Hoooo…"

He looked down at Sheryl, Roen, and Rimer, and smiled.

"Did you all see that?"

"To think he moved the Sepia Merchant Guild. Every time he steps outside, he causes a major incident. Haha!"

"It feels like his vessel keeps growing larger."

Roen and Sheryl nodded, smiling faintly.

"That isn't what I meant! Raon's martial prowess has reached Upper Master! To attain the upper rank in such a short time—I cannot even begin to guess where that child's limits lie."

Glenn's hardened eyes melted like spring snow.

His voice had gone so tender it seemed he would have drawn Raon into his arms, had the boy still been standing there.

"Now that you mention it, his presence was certainly different."

"The deal with the Sepia Merchant Guild was such an extraordinary achievement, I failed to notice."

Roen and Sheryl nodded blankly, as if Raon's aura had only now risen into view.

"Then did you see that?"

Glenn's eyes were still bright, as if he had not tired of this at all. He asked a question almost identical to the first.

"Pressing a continental master smith like Borgos not merely for money, but into commissioning throwing daggers—that was astonishing."

"Plenty of people have tried to take the Falling Blossom Blade with them. He's the first to actually win the man over. It means he has the kind of presence that draws people to him."

"You're both wrong! This time he's definitely talking about the deal with the Sepia Merchant Guild!"

Roen, Sheryl, and Rimer each shouted the praise they were sure Glenn wanted to hear.

"Not any of that rubbish! I asked whether you saw Raon brush the dust off me just now! In that brief instant, he spotted it and cleaned it away, did he not? How can a boy be so warm-hearted…"

More than anything else—more than the Guild, more than the saber, more than Upper Master—what delighted Glenn was that Raon had brushed the dust from his clothes. A glad little smile touched his mouth.

"Uh…"

"Ah…"

Sheryl and Roen's eyes flew so wide they looked ready to split. That was not a direction either of them had imagined.

"Ugh. He's so childish I can't even play along."

Rimer turned his back, claiming exhaustion.

"I'll be heading out first. I need to sleep early tonight so I can deal with that monster tomorrow… huh?"

The moment he started for the Audience Chamber's exit, Sheryl and Roen appeared at his sides and seized both his arms.

"Wh-what now?!"

"The Head said earlier he wanted to play with you a little."

"That's nonsense! I didn't do anything! Let go!"

"Hahaha!"

Roen clamped down hard enough to cut off the blood and did not let go.

"D-don't laugh like that! You're scaring me to death!"

Rimer thrashed, trying to twist free, but their arms held like stubborn vines and would not come loose.

A roar of thunder rolled overhead. His lips trembled as he lifted his gaze.

"Uh…"

Red lightning followed Glenn's gesture, grinding itself keen as a blade, and spread across the entire ceiling of the Audience Chamber. The thunder that followed sounded like a beast screaming. A hollow laugh escaped on its own.

"Not today too…?"

The lightning crashed down on the heels of Rimer's empty voice.

"Gyaaaaaaah!"

The summit of Mount Bukmang Cliff.

The ground around Dorian was so cluttered with junk it might have been a pawnshop. Of everything he had pulled out, he was hurling the largest pieces straight off the cliff.

"Aaaaagh!"

"Guhhhh!"

"Raon, you miserable son of a—!"

Every time something fell, a scream rose from a Light Wind Squad member below.

"Th-this is too much fun."

Drop a rock or a bulky piece of junk, and another ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠squad member peeled off the cliff. There was no way it couldn't be entertaining. Laughter kept spilling out of him from sheer delight.

"This time…"

Dorian grinned and drew a carriage wheel from his Belly Pouch—a massive wheel from the carriage that had carried the people they'd rescued in the Zamari Mountain Range.

"Take this!"

He flung it toward the line Crain was climbing. The wheel bounced down the cliff face and smashed into the top of Crain's head.

"Aaaaaagh!"

The strength went out of Crain's hands. He and the carriage wheel began their plunge together.

"Raon! You bastard!"

He vanished into the mist, still pouring curses on Raon.

"Since I'm not the one getting cursed, there's no pressure at all."

Every time the Light Wind Squad members fell, they cursed Raon and Raon alone. Dorian could keep throwing rocks and junk without a shred of fear.

He even hurled a battered chair and a desk, knocking climbers off the cliff one after another.

He had forgotten the time entirely, cheerfully working off his stress, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠when a person's breathing sounded from directly below.

"Huh…?"

He started and scanned the cliff in a hurry. Burren, Marta, and Runaan had climbed to within arm's reach. Wh-what? Why are they here? He had been sure he'd knocked them off. They must have hung on somehow and clawed their way this far. No! If they catch me, I'm dead! The one who had actually been tormenting the squad—Raon—was not here. If they caught Dorian, a beating was guaranteed.

"Nngh!"

Dorian shoved his hand into the Belly Pouch and pulled out the largest boulder and the thickest log he had used yet. If I don't kill them, they'll kill me! He sent both rumbling down the path the three of them were climbing.

The cliff shuddered as if it might come apart. A violent shock swept over Burren, Runaan, and Marta—but all three drove their fists into the rock and held on to the end.

"No!"

Dorian was frantically trying to haul out an entire eight-horse carriage when six hands came over the rim of the cliff. What followed them were three pairs of eyes, cold enough to freeze the blood.

Those eyes, rolling like a demon's, locked onto him.

"Dorian."

"It wasn't Raon. It was you."

"I'll kill you!"

Runaan, Burren, and Marta came over the top at the same time and started toward him. It felt like the reaper approaching with a scythe.

"It wasn't me! The vice-leader and the squad leader were throwing rocks and then they ran away!"

Dorian crabbed backward, shaking his head, clinging to any chance of survival.

"Hm?"

"They ran away?"

Runaan and Marta stopped, frowning.

"No."

Burren wasn't looking at Dorian. He was looking at the equipment laid out along the cliff, and he ground his teeth.

He picked up a funnel-shaped artifact from among the pile, and a spark kindled in his eyes.

"This is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a voice-changing artifact! That bastard was doing all of it in Raon's voice!"

"Th-that's just stuff I had lying around! I really didn't—gack!"

"Shut up!"

Marta's fist caught Dorian and drove him into the ground.

"Stomp him!"

"Aaaaaaagh!"

"……"

Marta, Burren, and Runaan started stomping Dorian, and the rest of the Light Wind Squad, arriving late, voluntarily joined that noble work.

"Aaaaaaagh!"

Following the Audience Chamber, a scream erupted from a cliff on Mount Bukmang as well.

Raon left the Main House, rubbing at his ear.

"Someone must be cursing me. Both ears ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have been itching nonstop."

Strangely enough, from the moment he had stepped out of the Lord's Palace, both ears had itched without rest.

"This King has been doing just that!"

Wrath popped out of nowhere, wrinkling his nose.

"This King has been cursing you—and every sucker who keeps stuffing your pockets!"

Of course. Raon let out a short laugh and nodded. So that's what all the muttering was. He was in there cursing me. A thin sound and a faint vibration had been coming from inside the ice-flower bracelet. Wrath had apparently been in there swearing the whole time. A creature of remarkable consistency.

"Are you going back to the cliff?"

Wrath looked toward the cliff where the Light Wind Squad and Dorian were.

"Hrm."

Raon followed his gaze and clicked his tongue. They need rest too. This is probably a good place to stop. He had originally meant to go straight to the cliff and start throwing rocks himself, but receiving such generous rewards seemed to have softened him. There was time left until sunrise, but he decided to let them off. Dorian will have handled it well enough. Dorian would have thrown a reasonable number of rocks and slipped away. By now, they would all have gone back to the dormitory.

"Hrm. I wouldn't be so sure."

Wrath muttered that it couldn't possibly have gone that way, then turned his head.

"Then are you going home?"

Home…

Hearing a Demon King call the Annex home stirred a strange feeling in Raon's chest. It was not an unpleasant one. Yeah.

"Then ask the pineapple girl to make pizza! This King has been hungry for some time now!"

Look at the time, you bottomless pit. Your pineapple girl is asleep right now.

"B-bottomless pit? A brat who lives off luck dares—!"

And the one who ladles out that luck more than anyone is a certain Demon King I know.

"Who is that supposed to be?! What kind of moron Demon King—!"

…

Raon walked toward the Annex, still teasing the clueless Wrath, when a soft light caught his eye at a mansion near the Annex that had always stood empty. Has someone moved in… huh?

He was about to pass it by, assuming a new tenant had arrived, when he felt presences from inside that he could not possibly mistake. Mother and the maids are in there, aren't they?

"The pineapple girl is there too!"

Wrath waved him onward, as if telling him to hurry.

A faint smile touched Raon's mouth as he took in the building.

"So they're here."