The Second Mission

The room was filled with antique black wood furniture — bookshelves, desks, and tables — and the scratching sound of writing echoed through it.

The source of the sound was the desk.

A middle-aged man with silver hair flowing like fresh snow was drawing unknown patterns on a book filled with white paper.

Miraculously, the patterns he drew disappeared shortly after, so the book continued to appear as if nothing was written on it.

The middle-aged man was engraving the patterns without stopping for even a moment.

A drop of blood fell from the wound on the back of his right hand, soaking the book.

The middle-aged man's hand finally stopped. His gaze turned to the bloodstain turning the white paper red.

The middle-aged man with silver hair, the ruler of the south, Derus Robert, clicked his tongue briefly.

"It still hasn't healed."

The wound on the back of his hand from seventeen years ago, when he killed the hunting dog named Raon, still hasn't disappeared.

He ate high-quality elixirs and summoned famous healers or priests, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but no one could erase this scar.

"But it also doesn't open up."

The wound remained exactly as it was, as if to remind him to remember it. Truly a miracle.

"Does he want me to remember even the dead phantom?"

Derus Robert chuckled and touched the scar on the back of his hand. The blood that had been seeping out began to slowly stop.

"Sorry, but I don't look back. I only move forward."

He picked up the fountain pen again and began drawing patterns on the book.

Until the sun in the middle of the sky set and a new sun rose again, Derus sat at the desk, engraving patterns without end.

When Derus finally turned the last page, the cover of the book with a black dragon drawn on it appeared. It was vividly alive, as if it were breathing.

"Done."

Derus Robert looked at the completed book with a satisfied smile.

"Now, the great plan is almost finished."

He placed his hand on the book, and the eyes of the black dragon drawn on the cover flashed.

"Finally."

Over the tightly locked voice, semi-transparent messages rose.

Raon confirmed the messages with a satisfied nod.

"Finally, Expert?"

Thanks to continuing training despite many events, I reached the Expert stage in just a month after the new year.

Although it's not low level, but the initial stage, a smile naturally formed on my face with the joy of achievement.

"Expert? Sword Master is nothing but a bug, but you're happy with just Expert?"

Wrath snorted in displeasure.

"Reaching Expert at 15 is rare."

Expert was indeed a wonderful realm, but when viewed across the entire continent, it was not enough to be called a powerhouse.

But for a fifteen-year-old, it was astonishing. Not just for a normal family or kingdom, but even among the Six Kings and Five Demons.

"Age? Judging age on the battlefield is only for the stupid. The weak are the weak regardless of age."

"That makes sense too. There are no stupid people who give special treatment to the young on the battlefield."

Raon nodded with a faint smile.

"But I have no intention of stopping now that I've become Expert."

Raon pushed Wrath aside and stood up.

"Light."

Thanks to one more strand of the cold chain that always bound his entire body loosening, his body felt light as a leaf and brimmed with vitality.

"Status Window."

Raon moved his body lightly and called up the status window.

"Training finished."

"Rest well."

Rimer's concise voice made Raon exhale heavily and lower his head.

"Rest well!"

The trainees followed Raon and shouted their gratitude.

"Good work."

Rimer waved his hand with a grin. It seemed like a rough answer because he was lazy, but it was still his way of greeting.

"Everyone seems to have gotten used to it now."

Raon looked at Rimer, the instructors, and the trainees and nodded slightly.

Having spent more than three years together in close proximity, they had become quite close.

Even Burren and Marta, who had been the most difficult, had grown a little more tolerant now that they knew what kind of person Rimer was.

"Instructor, you were twenty minutes late today, so shouldn't we add twenty minutes of training?"

Of course, there was still no compromise on lateness.

"We'll make it up tomorrow. Today is enough."

Rimer smiled awkwardly and stepped down from the podium. The way he backed away suggested he was trying to slip away after giving a vague answer.

"The duty roster will begin cleaning the training ground."

Raon muttered that it was always the same and turned to give instructions for the cleanup.

"Understood!"

Dorian, the duty person, nodded vigorously and dashed to the corner where the cleaning tools were kept.

"Hic!"

He opened the tool case and screamed when he saw the person standing beside him.

"What? Did I get the duty because of you?"

Marta, whose black hair was again wetting her shoulders, lowered her eyebrows.

"Ah, no. Absolutely! It's an honor..."

"Tsk."

She clicked her tongue once and picked up the training ground maintenance tool, starting the duty work before Dorian.

If it had been the old Marta, she would have dumped the dirty work on the peripheral trainees or recommended students and gone to direct training, but thanks to Raon's instructions, she couldn't escape the duty.

"Everyone, get lost! We have to clean, so scram!"

"Wheeze!"

"Eek!"

Marta stomped her foot with a thud. A powerful vibration. The trainees staring blankly at her fled in a hurry to the exit.

"Hiiik!"

Dorian, standing beside her, jumped in surprise and sat down.

"Still the same, huh. It seems the personality change only happened to you."

Raon turned his head at the voice behind him. Rimer was approaching with a cheerful laugh.

"Did you run away from Burren's nagging?"

"Ah, I forgot something and came back."

"Forgot..."

"Everyone, attention!"

Rimer clapped his hands, and the trainees who had been fleeing from Marta stopped in their tracks.

"I have something important to say."

As the trainees gathered, Rimer stepped back onto the podium.

"I forgot something really important."

He scratched the back of his head with a mortified smile.

"What is it?"

"Ah, you have a second mission."

Instant silence fell over the entire training ground.

"Mission!"

"You forgot that?"

"That guy is really..."

The trainees ground their teeth because they hadn't expected him to forget a mission.

"Mission..."

Raon closed his eyes.

"It was longer than I thought."

He had thought the second mission would come right after finishing the first, but more than half a year had passed.

It seemed like a mission was not a frequent opportunity for trainees.

"Either Zieghart is raising the kids more gently than I thought, or the missions are really difficult."

One of the two. Personally, he hoped for the latter. It would be a greater opportunity for growth.

"It seems orcs have appeared near the Sebu village to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠southeast."

Rimer gestured toward Sebu village in the empty air. Not bringing a map suggested he was being lazy.

"Your mission is to go to Sebu village, eliminate the orcs and monsters threatening the people there, and protect the village. In other words, protect the village and exterminate the monsters."

"Orcs!"

"Monster extermination!"

Monster extermination was the easiest and most refreshing mission compared to escort or dungeon exploration. Since it was easier than the first mission of bandit extermination, the trainees cheered.

"You like missions? How naive."

Rimer clicked his tongue and continued.

"Unlike the first mission, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the instructors will not move. You are the only ones going to Sebu village. It won't be easy to think and judge for yourselves from start to finish."

"Question."

Burren raised his hand.

"Why did you forget that we were going on the mission and now tell us?"

"Um, that's not a question, it's a scolding."

Rimer broke into a sweat.

"Hoo!"

Burren made a face like tree bark and sighed.

"Then I'll ask a real question. You said we would move only among ourselves, but if an insurmountable crisis comes, how should we handle it?"

"Judging that is also your ability. If it's an unreasonable mission, it's skill to abandon and return. That's why..."

Rimer's gaze swept over the trainees and stopped at Raon.

"This time too, the leader's ability is important. In a crisis, whether to break through with force, use strategy, or flee without looking back. You have to read that."

Everyone's eyes followed Rimer's green eyes.

"W-what? If we flee during the mission, won't there be a problem?"

This time Dorian raised his hand.

"It depends on the situation. Fleeing from goblins is a shame and penalty, but retreating from one of the Five Demons is something to be praised."

"Ooh!"

Dorian cheered at the idea of being allowed to flee. His cowardly nature hadn't changed even after all this time.

"Understood."

Burren finally looked at Raon. His eyes were low and bright. An expression carrying recognition and a trace of envy.

"Departure is at dawn the day after tomorrow. Rest today and tomorrow, and prepare properly."

"W-wait! The day after tomorrow?"

Dorian's eyes darted left and right like a locust.

"Yeah. The day after tomorrow."

"Why so soon! Too fast! Today we finished everything, only one day left!"

"Monster extermination is an urgent mission compared to escort or dungeon exploration. If you are late, there will be casualties in Sebu village."

"Then why didn't you say it earlier!"

Burren exploded again and stomped his foot.

"Um..."

"The day after tomorrow..."

"Enough."

Raon's calm voice pierced the center of the training ground.

"Rimer has always said that we don't know when and how the mission will come. Now is not the time to be surprised or argue, but to prepare. The more you argue, the more you fall into the coaches' intentions."

"Um..."

"That's right."

"Yeah. Let's move."

The trainees who had been fired up with Burren nodded, and Rimer smiled with satisfaction.

"I will pluck that ear someday."

Marta muttered the same words as Wrath and ground her teeth.

Runaan licked her lips as if it didn't matter to her and stood there blankly. She seemed to be thinking about the ice cream she would eat when she got home.

"The wild orcs are fiercer and have stronger stamina than the ones we faced in training. There are many of them, so it will be a one-versus-many fight. Since we have learned footwork, it would be better to focus on evasion rather than defense. Equip as lightly as possible and gather here at dawn the day after tomorrow."

Raon said that and turned his body.

"Yes."

"Tsk..."

Runaan nodded like a young bird, and Marta clicked her tongue and left the training ground.

"Understood!"

The trainees following Raon answered loudly and dashed to the dormitory.

"Um..."

Burren glared at the instructors for a moment but didn't speak again and turned. The peripheral trainees followed him toward the main building.

"Anyone can see that you look like a leader."

Rimer crossed his arms and smiled faintly. The gaze was, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of course, Raon's back.

"That's true."

"We didn't expect the kid to change like this."

"Thinking from the bottom, open mind."

"I have seen many kids, but the first senior who made kids follow not by status or talent but effort."

The instructors nodded beside Rimer. They all recognized Raon.

"Um, I should prepare too. I have to leave before the kids."

The youngest instructor sighed looking at the departing kids.

"In the past, it was really only the trainees who were sent on missions, but since Glenn broke away, the instructors secretly following has become the rule for the second mission."

"No."

Rimer patted the youngest coach's shoulder and shook his head.

"I am going."

"Eh?"

"Really?"

The coaches' eyes widened. They couldn't believe a human who avoided training was going on a mission.

"Yes."

"Senior coach, if you sleep in and can't go when the kids are in danger..."

"Stop! What do you think of me! You don't believe me?"

Rimer slapped his hand, but the coaches didn't answer. Because he had never missed training during the training period, not even five times.

"Anyway, I am going. Rest well."

He left those words and turned his back. For a while, muttering "Sleep here if you want to sleep. Why follow the mission..." could be heard from him as he left the training ground.

"If you want to sleep, sleep here. Why follow the mission..."

"If you're here, the family head or other great lords will interfere, so you go."

"H..."

The coaches realized Rimer's thinking and exhaled.

"Truly a great slacker."

Despite the mission starting in two days, Raon finished night training and returned to the room.

In front of the room, a lightweight backpack with magic was waiting. It was the bag prepared for the mission.

"Showing no concern."

He picked up the bag and entered the room. Whether the coaches came or not didn't matter. As long as he completed the mission perfectly and returned.

"Arrogant brat. Do you think the world flows according to your will? Unexpected things can happen anytime."

"Yeah, that's right."

He nodded.

"You don't know what will happen to you like what happened to me."

"Really, I want to tear that mouth."

"Impossible."

Raon smiled faintly and started packing. Since he received the light bag, packing wasn't hard.

Knock knock.

While packing, a knock came.

"Who is it?"

Thinking they were all busy with preparation, he opened the door.

"Ha!"

Raon opened his eyes wide and parted his lips. The two people who could surprise him the most. Sylvia and Helen stood with red faces.

"Raon! If you're going on the mission, come to the annex and tell mom!"

"How? Did Dorian do it again?"

"Rimer told us!"

Sylvia put her hand on her waist and frowned.

"That elf. Really..."

A sigh came from inside. He came to the room on purpose because Sylvia and Helen would worry, but he hadn't thought of going directly to tell.

"Sorry,"

If he hadn't been caught, no need for excuse. He had time to go to annex, but he avoided saying he was going on mission without coach, fearing awkward situation.

"..."

Sylvia pouted silently and frowned.

When he tried to close his eyes thinking scolding would come, her voice reached him.

"Raon."

"Eh?"

"The senior is not just a place to greet, but a place to lead the trainees in a better direction."

Sylvia's eyes sparkled with serious light, unlike usual.

"You have to think and move not just for yourself, but for all the trainees. The lives of the kids depend on your choice."

"Eh, yes."

Raon nodded with a dazed expression.

"I didn't think you would say that."

He knew he would be scolded, but not that he would give such advice.

"Monster extermination seems easy but is a difficult mission. Make sure to root out the monsters so the villagers don't suffer."

Sylvia was right. Monster reproduction was very fast, so must finish completely once.

"From now on, remember that when you go on the mission, you are not a trainee but a swordsman of Zieghart."

She lowered her posture to look at him. Her eyes flickered like stars.

"Mom said? In the past, Zieghart was a person who knew honor and shame, and drew sword for the weak. Mom wants Raon to show the appearance of Zieghart from the old days."

Sylvia gently stroked Raon's shoulder and smiled.

"Were you angry?"

"I was angry! Worried too! Frustrated! But!"

Her expression changed instantly. Pouted again.

"It's not the time to scold you now. When you come back, prepare for the scolding."

"Yes."

Raon smiled faintly and nodded. Sylvia knew because she lived as a swordsman that it wasn't the time to scold.

"I'm glad you became cheerful when you started training, but I can't stop worrying."

Sylvia hugged Raon tightly. Her worry seeped from her trembling fingertips.

She gave more advice and left. She didn't take time or scold as much as expected.

While worrying about her son, she hoped he would complete the mission as a swordsman.

So her voice and words dug deep into his heart.

Raon was packing, looking out the window. The moonlight seeped into the room as if envying him.