Chapter 1
I am going to die.
The cool night breeze, the light from the half moon peeking out, and my senses from having lived an assassin all whispered the same words.
I shall soon die.
I looked around at my surroundings.
There were many paths in the garden, between the shrubs that looked as soft as wool.
But there was no path to life. There was only the path that reeked of death.
"Raon."
I raised my head upon hearing a voice, one that weighed heavily on my heart. A middle-aged man with what looked like white frost combed into long silvery hair stepped into view.
It was him.
Derus Robert.
Like a morass of death, the enormous garden billowed death into the air due to the presence of a single man—the head of House Robert.
"Yes."
I swallowed hard and opened my mouth.
"You have shown a competence that befits your title as the leader of the Shadows. The family has grown even faster thanks to you moving behind the scenes."
"I merely did my job."
I did not pretend to be happy or otherwise. I bowed my head like an emotionless wooden doll.
"But Raon…"
He began softly.
"Do you think that a Shadow needs freedom?"
Derus reached out his hand. His shadow extended its hand across the ground as well.
"It is enough for a Shadow to follow its master's orders. Thoughts, emotions, feelings are unnecessary."
"That is correct."
"Why did you act on your own, even though you knew that?"
Derus' voice sharpened, becoming cold, and tightened around my heart.
"And you even broke your indoctrination."
Goosebumps formed along my spine. I bit down on my tongue to hide my surprise.
What?
I had not spoken or acted differently than before, and I had not the slightest idea how he found out that the indoctrination had lost its effect.
"Speak. When, and how, did you break the indoctrination?"
At that point, it was clear that he already knew everything if he was acting like that.
"How did you find out?"
I bit my lip and raised my head.
Indoctrination.
It was how House Robert controlled the assassination team called 'Shadow'.
They abducted or bought young children and, after killing off their emotions, indoctrinated them and used them as assassins for the rest of their lives.
I too was indoctrinated, but was able to get rid of the dreadful shackles in a strange turn of fate.
"Because you were preparing to escape the clan."
Derus continued leisurely.
"I put two leashes on all of the assassins of Shadow, including you. The first one is indoctrination, and the second…."
"Ugh!"
A scream burst from me before I even registered the extreme pain. It was as if my lungs and heart were being sawed through.
"Rage Worm. The insect placed in your body is gouging your heart out at my command."
"R-rage Worm…."
Rage Worm was the worst black magic, the type that could even discern a slave's emotions.
It seemed as if Derus had used the Rage Worm to become aware of my plan to escape House Robert.
"I-it's not enough to put on a facade of justice, you even went so far as to have fed me Rage Worm? You disgusting bastard!"
"It's not disgusting. It's called being thorough. And you did actually break the indoctrination."
Derus smiled, the warm gaze that he showed in public on his face.
"There is a saying that every human lives while wearing a mask. It's just that my mask is a little thicker and more special when compared to others."
"Derus Robert..."
I clenched my teeth. I raised my body, stifling the heart-splitting pain.
I could not die without doing something.
I was abducted at an age that I do not even remember properly, and was raised to become an underground hunting dog and assassin for House Robert.
I had lived, forgetting all emotion and feeling, and only coincidently managed to break free from the indoctrination.
I had thought that I could finally live according to my own will, but it was not the key to my prison but the shackles of death that met me.
What sort of sin had I committed that forced me to live like a dog, I do not know.
Damn it!
A reddish water filled up the dried-off well of emotions. It was a rage that I had never felt before.
"You can stand in that state?"
Derus' expression wavered a little.
"I will not meet my end in disgrace."
I grasped the sword at my waist.
My senses, which had detected my death, had not changed since I stepped into the garden.
I will die here.
If I was meant to die anyway, I would not go down without a fight. At the very least, his arm… No, I would at least create a wound and die.
"Aaaargh!"
I unsheathed my sword, the concentrated aura exploding.
At that moment…
The blade stretching out broke in half.
Click.
I heard the sound of the necklace around my neck falling to the ground.
The world spun as Derus' cold eyes and the moon flipped upside down.
Ah…
That's when I knew. My head had been cut off by Derus' sword.
However, the assassin's sword is not all that meets the eye.
The frightening aura hidden behind the broken blade flew towards Derus' face.
"How vulgar."
Derus waved his hand as if annoyed. The final attack went out like a flame at the light gesture, as if he were swatting away a fly.
As expected…
Derus was a warrior said to be the strongest in the continent. It was expected that I would be unable to win.
For he was strong, and I was weak. It could not be helped.
Yes… It… can!
The rage that had begun to spread from the bottom of my heart boiled up like lava.
It was unfair that my entire life had been toyed with by Derus, and it was a painful shame that I could not complete the 'Ring of Fire' that I had obtained by fate.
I could not die that way.
God, or even the Devil was fine.
As the rage—the desire to tear Derus' mask off and slit his throat at any cost—engulfed my whole body, my world ceased in red.
* * *
* * *
"Hmm…."
Derus Robert brought his right hand up and frowned.
'I definitely blocked that.'
There was a small wound on the back of his hand, even though he had perfectly cut off the final sword attack from that piece of trash.
It has been years since he last had an injury that drew blood.
'Ridiculous.'
That man had broken from the indoctrination on his own, endured the torture of the Rage Worm, and had even left an injury on Derus' body.
It was disconcerting, wondering what happened to the hunting dog raised to be an expendable object.
'Only…'
Raon was now dead. Though he went against common sense, there was no need to bother with him any longer.
"Clean it."
Soldiers hidden in the shadows of the garden rushed out and moved towards Raon's body the moment Derus turned his back.
Blink.
Raon's necklace, sunk deep in red blood, emitted a bluish light, but there was none who could see it.
You have been chosen by
* * *
Reincarnation.
A fantastical notion that many believed to exist, but at the same time many did not believe in.
Raon did not believe in rebirth either.
He had been indoctrinated his whole life, and when he broke free from it he was busy with preparations to escape House Robert. As such, he did not even consider such absurd thoughts.
He thought that death was the end.
However…
"Sunshine, look here!"
A beautiful lady, with red eyes and soft golden locks that flowed down over her shoulder, shook the blue-coloured baby rattle.
"There is also a red one!"
She held out a red-coloured one in her left hand as well.
Rattle!
Though he wrinkled his face at the sound of the rattles hitting each other, the blonde lady did not stop her shaking.
"Aboo."
Raon gave a soft sigh and reached out for the baby rattle.
"Yes! Come this way!"
The blonde lady breamed broadly and shook the baby rattle more excitedly.
There were two things in his field of view. A pair of arms, chubby like sausages, and a lady shaking the baby rattle.
'I still can't get used to this. These arms are my arms, and that lady is my mother…'
The lady's name was Sylvia. Though it was still pretty unbelievable, he had reincarnated into that lady's child whilst retaining the memories of his past life as an assassin.
He had naturally regarded it as a dream at first.
He thought that everything would be over after he got some sleep, but he never seemed to awaken from this strange dream, no matter how much he slept.
And so the days had dubiously passed to become one hundred days, and it was only then that Raon accepted the fact that he had, in fact, reincarnated.
"Sunshine! Over here!"
"A-woo!"
When he slowly crawled towards the baby rattle, Sylvia stepped back little by little.
"Yes! A little more!"
Raon followed Sylvia as he crawled and reached his hand out towards the rattle.
"Aboo…"
But his body could not endure the weight of his heavy head and started leaning towards the right.
"Oh!"
Sylvia flung the baby rattle away and threw her body towards Raon, embracing him in her arms.
'She's quick.'
Her body was very fast. Though he could not detect aura, it seemed that she had acquainted herself with some appropriate martial arts.
"Were you surprised? It's alright. It's fine."
Sylvia patted Raon's back.
"Ooh."
Raon shook his hand. Her patting did not stop although he showed that he was not at all surprised and all right.
"My Sunshine, shall we go see the flowers?"
Sylvia walked over to the window and opened the curtains whilst carrying him. The warm sunlight shone gently, like a soft cotton blanket.
'How can she still call me Sunshine…?'
'Sunshine', as Sylvia called him, was not his actual name. It was a baby bump name.
It was the head of house who had to come and choose his name, but he appeared to be terribly busy and Raon had yet to see a sign of him.
Thus, there was no choice but to be called by the baby bump name 'Sunshine', even after more than a hundred days had passed.
'Whew…'
Raon looked about, still in Sylvia's arms.
The room was wide enough to be able to run around in, the walls had a luxurious sea-coloured wallpaper, and there was magic lighting hanging from the ceiling that lit up, even at night.
He could not determine much, for his body was a baby's and slept more than twenty hours a day, but one thing was certain.
This was a wealthy family, and one with quite the reputation at that.
'Not bad.'
A rich or powerful family was preferable over a normal one in any case, now that he had been reborn.
'I need to take revenge.'
The horrifying feeling of having his neck chopped off by Derus was still vivid in his mind.
He had thought that all his feelings had been worn away while being raised as an assassin. His memory before death must have been intense, for his rage and thirst for revenge clearly remained.
'But I should not be impatient.'
Raon breathed deeply and calmed his emotions.
He knew nothing about where he was, or what his position was, as he lived exclusively within this room.
It would not be too late to make preparations for revenge after getting a grasp of the situation.
The most important virtue for an assassin was patience, and he had once been the best of the assassins.
He could rein in his feelings and thirst for revenge any time.
'Also…'
He had obtained the 'Ring of Fire' in his past life through some fate, which was said to be the most powerful skill that could be attained by a swordsman one thousand years ago.
If he were to master the 'Ring of Fire', it might be possible for him to kill Derus Robert not by assassination, but even by facing him head-on.
He would have to endure and endure again for that day to come.
'Anyway, I am starting to feel a little sleepy again…'
He felt drowsy in Sylvia's arms, under the warm sunlight.
A baby's body was inconvenient in many ways. He really had not spent a long time thinking, yet he was already falling asleep.
"You sleepy, Sunshine? Let's go to bed, then."
Sylvia slowed her patting on his back with a smile. It was just as he was dozing off and his neck was falling backwards that…
"Lady Sylvia!"
The door opened without a knock, and Sylvia's maid entered the room.
"The-the head of house is on his way!"
"My father?"
Sylvia widened her eyes in shock at the maid's words.
'Father?'
It appeared that the head of house was not his father, but his grandfather, since she called him father.
"I-I shall have to get ready…"
"It is too late! He is already outside!"
"Oh dear!"
Sylvia and the maids became very flustered, tapping their feet repeatedly.
Clomp.
There was the sound of footsteps outside the half-open door, which sounded stiff enough to make one's body shrink.
'Who is the head of house?'
Raon stealthily opened his eyes and turned his head towards the door.
An old man with red eyes and radiant blonde hair smoothed over his forehead approached. Sylvia and the maid trembled at the sound of his overbearing footsteps.
'Ah…'
The passage of time slowed down the moment he saw the old man's eyes. It almost felt as if his surroundings were blurred by his overbearing presence.
"F-father."
"Is this the child?"
The old man stopped in front of Sylvia and pointed with his chin, frost in his gaze.
"Oh, yes."
Sylvia nodded her head heavily and held Raon out to him.
'Ah…'
Raon's round eyes grew wider. As he looked right into his face, he felt as if he had seen him before. Get full chapters from ⓝovelFire.net
'Blonde with red eyes. An old man with cold features, as if surrounding himself with a sheet of ice… Oh!'
A thunderbolt struck his small head.
Glenn Zieghart, the Destructive King of the North!
The family was referred to as the apex of the continent, and its leader was looking down at him.
A small gasp of surprise escaped his small mouth on its own.
It seemed that he was reborn into the most powerful family in the continent.
Chapter 2
Restore scroll position
In the continent, there were six who dwelled within the light and five within the darkness.
The six powers, who rose up to become the radiant suns of the continent, were called the Six Kings. Those who lurked within the underground, who spread defeat and fear, were called the Five Demons.
House Zeighart was one of the Six Kings, and ruled over the North.
"Ah-ooh."
Raon made eye contact with the head of House Zieghart and widened his round mouth.
'Is this a good thing…?'
Zieghart didn't lose out in any way to House Robert, the place that had exploited and killed him in his past life.
His day of revenge could be brought forward if he built up his strength in that environment.
"He is blonde and has red eyes, just like you and me, Father."
Sylvia smiled gently and stroked Raon's hair while he agonized over how to act from then on.
"..."
Glenn maintained his overwhelming pressure over the others, even as he held Raon up.
'Huh?'
Raon's body shuddered. It was because a warm and gentle energy entered through his wrist the moment Glenn picked him up.
"Ooh…"
At the feel of aura, which he had not felt in a long time, he let out a noise before he even realized it.
'What sort of aura…'
Glenn's aura was not only warm. It also contained an enormously high level of purity, like it came straight from nature.
'It's warming up my body.'
Raon was much more sensitive to the cold after his reincarnation. At first, he assumed it was because his body was that of a young child. Instead, there was actually a major problem with his constitution.
But the moment he received Glenn's aura, his whole body became warmer—as if sunlight had entered his bloodstream.
Glenn used his aura to check through Raon's body inch by inch, returning him to Sylvia afterwards.
'What?'
Raon narrowed his eyes. There was no way that a warrior like Glenn did not know there was an issue with his body, yet there was no change in his expression.
He could not understand why he maintained that expression, even after finding out his grandson was not normal.
"Sylvia."
"Yes."
"The child's name shall be Raon."
"Raon? F-Father. The name Raon means…"
Sylvia's eyebrows furrowed heavily.
"It literally means that. Quiet like a shadow. It means to live without standing out."
Unlike his gentle use of aura, Glenn's voice was cold as frost.
'Huh…'
Was it fate or something?
His name was the same as in his past life, and the meaning was also the same. A laugh forced its way out at the absurdity of the situation.
He knew that Glenn was a cold-hearted person, but he did not know that Glenn would have no interest in his sick grandson.
"That is all."
Glenn brushed off his dark red coat and turned his body away, as if not wanting to be there any longer.
"Wait! Father! Another name, at least…"
Sylvia followed him while carrying Raon, but Glenn did not turn back. He promptly left the mansion.
It seemed more accurate to say that they were strangers, not father and daughter.
"Ooh-woo!"
Raon's lips trembled. He wanted to stay quiet, but a moan escaped his lips at the chilly wind blowing in from outside.
"I-I'm sorry!"
Sylvia hugged Raon close and buried her face in his body. It appeared she was barely holding back tears.
'There is something here. But I'm too sleepy. I can't think.'
Raon slowly closed his eyes, feeling both the cold wind and Sylvia's warmth skim over his entire body.
'A child's body really is very inconvenient…'
* * *
The moon was floating in the middle of the sky.
Raon, who was lying down on the crib, cautiously opened his eyes.
'She's asleep.'
He turned his head to the side. Sylvia was sleeping on the bed right beside him.
Knock.
It appeared she was sound asleep, since she did not wake up even when he tapped on the crib.
'Whew…'
He let out a small sigh.
The past hundred days had been extremely suffocating.
He became terribly drowsy all the time, and he could not use mana nor train because he was with Sylvia whenever he was awake.
He couldn't do anything, as there could be a problem if he were to be even gently nudged during his practice. But his chance had finally arrived.
'Crib.'
He got to sleep separately in the warm crib from that day onward, once Helen—the head maid of the bedchambers—offered her advice.
Though she was right beside him, there was no way Sylvia would wake up. It was the perfect time to begin his practice.
'Let's get started…'
Raon slowly exhaled.
'With the cultivation of the 'Ring of Fire'.'
The method of the practice, implemented in the continent, was about accumulating aura in the abdomen by taking in mana from nature via breathing.
But the practice for the 'Ring of Fire', which he had obtained by fate in his past life, was different.
By rotating the spherical ring around one's heart, as if one were a sorcerer making a magic circle, one's physical strength and body would improve. At the same time, it also increased one's willpower and sensitivity to mana.
Which meant that, though it could not create aura, the 'Ring of Fire' was a cultivation technique that could help improve the mind and body—the perfect conditions for becoming a soldier.
'That is not the only advantage.'
The 'Ring of Fire' was a practice that followed the flow of nature exactly. Even a soldier at the highest level would not be able to determine that he had practiced the 'Ring of Fire'.
Even Derus Robert, referred to as the greatest swordsman in the continent, did not know that Raon had acquired the 'Ring of Fire'.
However, there was a very big issue with Raon's body.
'Coldness.'
The mana circuit, where mana flowed through like blood in his veins, was blocked by the extreme coldness in his body.
It was not long ago that he first discovered that fact.
He had tried to use his mana for a brief moment, whilst acting as if he were asleep, but almost shrieked upon feeling the coldness blocking his mana circuit.
Raon slowly took in a breath of air until his lungs ached, and felt the mana spread out in the air.
'It's being dispersed.'
Perhaps it was because his basic mana affinity was poor, but he could not feel mana that well, unlike his past self.
He only barely managed to take in the mana, and settled it in his mana circuit after quite some time.
'Hmm…'
Raon suddenly stopped before he was to start practicing the 'Ring of Fire' with the absorbed mana.
'I feel it, as expected.'
The mana circuit at his shoulder was half blocked by the coldness.
'No wonder I am constantly drowsy, and so cold.'
The reason he has been sleeping more than twenty hours, and feeling the severe chilliness, was due to this coldness.
'Is it in nine places?'
He released some mana to scan through his entire body. There were nine places in the mana circuit that were blocked by the cold.
'This is severe…'
Unlike that of an adult, a baby's mana circuit was wide open. Since the coldness filled it halfway, even while in that state, the entire mana circuit could become blocked as he grew older.
Should that moment come, he would experience cold and pain that would be incomparable to what he experienced currently—or worse, die.
He had to remove the coldness, no matter what, before that happened.
'I should try to pierce through the coldness in my mana circuit, using the 'Ring of Fire'.'
Though his practice with the 'Ring of Fire' would be considerably delayed, the priority for the moment was to survive.
Raon slowly absorbed the mana as he took a deep breath. The absorbed mana cut into thin, sharp, awl-like pieces and pierced the coldness blocking his mana circuit.
Screech!
As if it was a frozen waterfall chipped away at by a fork, a tiny bit of the coldness dropped off.
'Wait. Can't I make use of this?'
He could release the coldness as it was, but it seemed a waste—especially considering the high purity of it.
Raon guided the coldness with the natural mana, following the flow of the 'Ring of Fire'.
The natural mana and the coldness that was blocking the mana circuit bonded together as one to circulate through the mana circuit throughout his body.
'I did it!'
Raon clenched his fist. It was at a much slower speed when compared to in his past life, but he could use mana via the flow of the 'Ring of Fire' without issue.
He felt the cold air drawn forth by the mana settling in his body.
'It must be because it's a child's body.' ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NoveI-Fire.ɴet
It was somewhat fortunate, as he would not have been able to circulate mana at all because of the coldness if it wasn't a child's wide-open mana circuit.
'Next I should… Huh? Already?'
As if his body was saying it was tired after using its brain and strength a little, he started to feel sleepy. His eyelids lowered like curtains, completely against his will.
'Damn it…'
Raon groaned angrily and closed his eyes.
As he fell asleep, and the moon hung in the sky moved to just about three fingers-width apart, a figure appeared outside the door.
The person who entered without opening the door was the head of House Zieghart, Glenn.
"..."
Glenn gazed at Raon, who was asleep, and reached out his hand. A light as pale as the sunset bloomed out of his clenched hand.
Raon's forehead, which was crumpled due to the coldness in his mana circuit, smoothed out like velvet.
* * *
* * *
"A-bu-bu."
Raon gave a soft sigh.
'As expected, it isn't easy.'
There was no time to work on the 'Ring of Fire' since his waking hours were short. Even then, he was mostly around other people.
But considering the progress was delayed by the short, one- to two-hour practice time and the coldness, the outcome was surprisingly decent. It was as if someone was helping him.
"Raon, shall we move a bit more today?"
Sylvia bent over and shook the baby rattle. It appeared as though she thought he liked the rattle, as he continuously reacted to it.
'Playing with her is tiring.'
Frankly speaking, it was more tiring having to play with Sylvia or the maids than it was tolerating the coldness.
Though, it couldn't be helped. After all, his was an adult's consciousness inside a child's body.
"Aah-ooh."
It was just as Raon bobbed his head and was about to crawl towards Sylvia…
Click.
The door opened smoothly and an unfamiliar old man with silver hair entered the room. He was wearing frayed and shabby clothes, but his eyes were as clear as the river.
"Oh? Uncle!"
Sylvia ran to the door with a bright smile on her face, as if she recognised the old man.
"It has been a long time."
"No, no. Saint…"
"Aah-woong."
Raon babbled in surprise before he realized it. He recognized the old man from the title of Saint, and because of his beggar-like clothes.
'The Ragged Saint!'
The Ragged Saint Patrick was one of the most famous healers in the continent.
Though his holy powers and medical experience extended beyond the sky, he was a vagabond and difficult to find—even when one searched for him.
"Not Saint. Just call me 'Uncle', like before."
Patrick chuckled and approached the bed Raon was lying on.
"I heard that you had a child, and popped over on my way by. Is this the child?"
"Ah, yes."
"Oho! Blonde with red eyes? Is he not the first since you?"
"That's right. Isn't he beautiful?"
Sylvia stroked Raon's hair and beamed.
"That's what I mean. He is not even a year old and looks pretty. Completely different from a wild guy like Glenn."
Patrick chuckled and wagged his finger in front of Raon.
"What's his name?"
"It's Raon…"
"Raon?"
His face wrinkled up at the name.
"His name can't mean 'shadow'?"
"It does…"
"Whatever is Glenn thinking, naming the child 'shadow'?"
Patrick referred to House Zieghart's head as just 'Glenn'.
'So the rumor that Glenn Zieghart and the Ragged Saint are friends is true, then.'
Raon smacked his lips as he looked at the broom that was Patrick's hair.
Having lived as an assassin, he did have quite a bit of information regarding the affairs of the world.
It seemed that the information regarding the considerable closeness of Glenn Zieghart and the Ragged Saint was true.
"Raon, allow this old man to look at you for a bit."
Patrick gently massaged Raon's shoulders and arms, legs and chest area.
"Hmm…"
He chewed on his lips with a grave expression on his face, and finally spread out a white light. Upon basking in that light, a burning energy filled up his body—if he had entered a hot spring.
"Phew."
Patrick turned his body after a low sigh.
"How is he? He is more sensitive to the cold, and grows slowly compared to the other children…"
Sylvia walked towards Patrick, her hands clasped together.
"It is the Curse of the Frost."
Patrick knit his brows.
"C-curse? What do you mean by that?!"
"It is not an actual curse. It is the constitution where an intense coldness blocks the mana circuit."
"Ah…"
"It is a constitution rarely seen, typically among young girls. It is my first time seeing a young boy born with the Curse of the Frost."
He surveyed Raon's body with an odd look in his eyes.
"There should be no major problems as his mana circuit is open, but he may experience serious chill and pain when the mana circuit starts to close up—that is, once he reaches four years of age."
"Th-that…"
Sylvia chewed her lips uneasily.
'I can fix it on my own, so don't worry.'
Raon shook his head slightly.
Though it would take some time, he would be able to remove the coldness by using the 'Ring of Fire'. There was no actual need to get treated.
"There are a total of nine chunks of coldness blocking the mana circuit. That is a number that even I have not seen in the young girls that I have treated before. And as each of the chunks of coldness are very potent, there is a possibility of mental slowness should a forceful attempt to drill through it be made."
"Wh-what about the method to cure it?!"
Sylvia grabbed onto Patrick's sleeve, looking as if she might faint at any minute.
"Let him drink diluted elixir, containing the properties of fire, once a day. Let him bask under the sunlight for two hours at noon, when the sun is at its highest."
"Will he recover if we do that?"
"As I have said, this is not an illness. It is a matter of constitution. He shall not return to heaven's bosom at a young age, at the very least, if you follow my directions. However…"
When Patrick cut his words short, everyone swallowed hard as he took his time answering.
"Because the coldness will eat at the child's constitution and strength, it will be difficult for him to become a swordsman, even after treatment."
"That does not matter."
Sylvia fiercely shook her head, as if to say that it was all fine, as long as he did not die.
"It is a relief that you think that way. Anyway, this child should…"
Knock, knock.
Just as Patrick was about to give additional advice, the door opened with a knock.
"Please excuse me."
A middle-aged man wearing posh formal attire entered the room and bowed his head.
"My lord is looking for the Saint."
"Let him know that I will find him later."
"He has said to come find him immediately."
"Hah. He has such bad timing."
Patrick clicked his tongue, and turned his head.
"Sylvia. I shall come by again later."
"Ah, yes."
Patrick left the room with the middle-aged man after gazing at Raon for a moment longer.
'The Curse of Frost…'
Raon rubbed his fingers.
'I finally know.'
The identity of the coldness that had tormented him had been revealed. Only, nothing would really change.
He would cure the Curse of Frost and develop an incomparably outstanding physical body and affinity for mana before he became an adult, and he would do it by continuing to practice the 'Ring of Fire' and removing the coldness at the same time.
"Raon."
The moment the door shut, Sylvia hugged Raon and scrubbed at her face. It was how she acted when anxious.
"Mommy promises to save you. Whatever it takes."
Her eyes, which were always smiling, filled up with tears.
'What's this…?'
As Sylvia's trembling was conveyed to him, his heart felt suffocated. It felt as if a rough wire was scratching his heart.
Though he did not know what the emotion was, he did not want to continue feeling that tingling sensation.
Which was why—
"A-bu-bu."
With his small hands, Raon wiped away the tears welled up in Sylvia's eyes.
"Ah…"
"Young Master!"
"My-my goodness…"
Sylvia narrowed her eyes, and the maids gave a short shriek.
"Raon…"
She lowered her head and caressed Raon's hand, wet with her tears, for some time. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet.
"I must go find my father."
The hesitation on Sylvia's face was gone.
* * *
For the first time since Raon was born, Sylvia made her way to the place where the head of House Zieghart resided.
The way there was wide open, as the Saint had passed by earlier.
"M-Madam Sylvia!"
"The head of house is currently with…"
"Move aside!"
She forcefully pushed past the attendants and maids blocking her way and knocked on the door of the audience chamber.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
The enormous door started to open after five punch-like knocks.
"What is it?"
Glenn, who was sitting opposite Patrick and having tea, frowned.
"I beg you."
Sylvia clenched her teeth hard and knelt.
"Please save Raon!"
Though there were attendants behind her, she lowered her head to the ground as if she were a slave submitting to her master.
"..."
Glenn watched Sylvia bow her head without batting an eye.
"You must have heard, yes? That it will be difficult for him to live as a soldier, even if his constitution were to be treated."
Glenn knew of Raon's condition, as if he had already heard of it.
"It will be fine if we do not raise him as a soldier!"
"For one with the name of Zieghart to not become a soldier? Why should I give help to a child without any value?"
"Because he is your grandson."
"That grandson is the child you brought back after leaving the family, after saying that you were going to cut all ties with us."
"That…"
Sylvia's trembling eyes were fixed to the floor.
"The only thing I can do for the child is give him the name of Zieghart. Once is enough for any act of foolishness."
Glenn's face was cold, as if covered by a sheet of ice.
"Zieghart is a place where only the strongest survive. It is better to not have such a weak grandson. And won't you be able to obtain the elixir yourself?"
"The elixir in the family repository would be much more effective than obtaining it from outside…"
"Those are for the ones that improve the family name. There is nothing for a child who does nothing, even if he is my grandson. Get out, now."
"Father! Please!"
Sylvia dug her fingers into her palm as if to draw blood, and hit her head against the floor again.
'I cannot back down!'
If she were alone, she would have returned. She would have left without turning back before, due to her pride.
But she now had a child she had to protect. She had to hang on until the end, for Raon.
"Drag her out."
Soldiers in black stepped out from behind the pillar at Glenn's stern orders. They grabbed onto both of Sylvia's arms and dragged her to the door.
"P-please! Raon!"
Sylvia screamed Raon's name until the end, but Glenn turned his head away as if he wasn't interested.
"Phew…"
Patrick, who was observing everything, let out a sigh.
"Your acting is good, considering you were the one who called for me to check on your grandson's condition. Is it that hard to treat her honestly?"
"You're being unnecessarily noisy. Just speak of his state, in detail."
"As I have said, the coldness is blocking the mana circuit in nine places. Although it is fine now, it will become more dangerous as he grows older."
Patrick sipped his tea and continued.
"But I do not think there will be a major issue, thanks to you pushing away the coldness with your aura."
Glenn and Patrick did not know that Raon was practicing the 'Ring of Fire', even though they had personally checked his body.
The 'Ring of Fire' was a method from a thousand years ago, and did not make use of the lower abdomen. It was difficult to identify the 'Ring of Fire', even if one could be said to have absolute abilities.
"Young girls with the symptoms of the Curse of Frost make use of coldness of the highest purity and can become excellent sorcerers or swordsmen, but it is different for young boys with warmer energies. As I said, it is close to impossible for your youngest grandson to become a soldier."
"It does not matter if he does not become a soldier. As long as he lives."
"You browbeat Sylvia, and now you say it does not matter? Even the Destructive King of the North must love his grandson."
Patrick chuckled heartily.
"..."
Glenn ignored Patrick and drew his finger in the air.
Buzz…
As the space cracked open in a cross(十) shape, a golden dimension opened up. Three wooden boxes popped out of the fiery space.
"I assume you know how to do it?"
He spoke as he passed the boxes over to Patrick.
"Ah… This is why I do not bother with things like Houses."
Patrick sighed and accepted the wooden boxes.
"Take care of him."
Glenn's sharp voice rang low, to a strange extent.
"Don't get me wrong, but why did you name the child Raon? There are much better names out there, and out of everything it is 'shadow'…"
"'Shadow' is not the only meaning of the name 'Raon'."
He shook his head and watched the golden sun, floating high up in the sky.
"A thousand years ago, it meant something entirely opposite."
Chapter 3
Restore scroll position
"Here it is, milady."
The head maid of the bedchambers, Helen, passed a steaming white bowl over to Sylvia.
"Thank you."
Sylvia cooled the hot elixir as she looked at Raon, who was fast asleep.
"Do you think it will be difficult to feed him?" Official source ıs novel✶fire.net
"Children detest bitter things, milady. You disliked bitter medicine when you were young, as well."
"I did?"
"You may not remember. There was a time that you even ran away, saying that you did not wish to take it."
"Hey, Raon's listening."
"Haha."
They both giggled as they glanced down at Raon, who was snoring quietly.
"Indeed, no child likes medicine. Raon is so young, too. He will hate it even more."
"But milady…"
"I know. He must take it."
Sylvia nodded her head in determination.
'This is an elixir from Uncle. I cannot let a single drop go to waste.'
As if her pleading with Father had troubled him, Patrick had come by the annex again and given her three good-quality elixirs with fire properties.
Since she was diluting the Elixirs as she used them, they would be able to last for quite some time. In the meantime, she could look for other elixirs elsewhere. It was fortunate that he had come.
"Raon."
Sylvia gently smoothed down Raon's hair, not wanting to upset him.
"Nghh…"
Raon flexed his fingers as he opened his eyes.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Ah-ooh-nghh."
"There is something you must do from today onwards, Raon. You must drink all of this."
Sylvia scooped the medicine up with a small wooden spoon and brought it to Raon's lips.
'He will drink it, but will probably cry right after.'
Though it was a child's instinct to consume the medicine, it was certain that he would throw a fit and spit it out immediately.
"Now, let's drink."
Sylvia poured the elixir into Raon's mouth, tensing as she made sure that the elixir did not trickle out.
"Ooh-aah…"
She watched Raon scrunch up his face. She grimaced as she waited for his tears to start.
But there were no tears.
"Huh?"
When she cautiously opened her eyes, Raon was waving his small hands in the air. It was as if he was telling her to give him more.
"Helen. This…"
"Y-young master seems to be asking for more?"
"Right? Is that correct?"
Sylvia widened her eyes and picked the spoon up again. This time, she scooped a larger amount than before and poured it into Raon's mouth.
"Ooh-ooh!"
Raon's eyebrows shot up to form a mountain… But he still did not cry. He jerked his hands faster.
"Oh…"
Sylvia's lips parted.
"Do you think Raon understood my intentions?"
"Definitely! It seems that the young master recognizes your intentions and is enduring it."
It was obvious from his scrunched-up expression that he found it bitter. But as he was asking for more, it was clear that he understood and was going to endure the ordeal.
"Raon!"
Sylvia couldn't help but hug Raon tightly.
* * *
'Just give me more of the medicine. Faster.'
Raon waved his hand as he tapped on Sylvia's shoulder.
'Even if it is a little bitter, this is nothing. I cannot miss this opportunity.'
It wasn't just any normal medicine. What he needed the most was an elixir with fire properties. Though it was bitter and hot, to the point that his tongue felt numb, he had to finish it all.
"Look at Raon! Don't you think he eats like such a sweetheart?"
"Of course!"
Raon did not let what Sylvia and Helen were saying bother him, swallowing the elixir the moment it passed his lips.
'Though I don't know what it is, the effects are insane.'
The moment he drank the elixir, a fiery energy started burning in his stomach—as if starting a blast furnace. The heat flowed through the mana circuit and started to drive out the coldness.
'The effect and concentration of the medicine is just right.'
A strong elixir could actually be poison for a child's weak body.
It seemed that Sylvia and Helen had ensured that the concentration of the elixir was suitable for absorption.
Blerp.
Raon gave a small burp after licking off the remaining elixir on the spoon. He closed his eyes.
"Milady."
"Yes. Let's leave him to sleep."
Sylvia and Helen watched him, evidently moved as their eyes shone, before leaving.
"Whew."
Raon opened his eyes immediately after they had left.
'I don't think they will return for some time.'
And even if they did, they would not bother him.
Since he already had both food and medicine, there was no way either Sylvia or Helen would wake him. Therefore, it was the best moment to practice.
Raon brought the warm energy filling up his body forward and began his practice with the 'Ring of Fire'.
'It will be faster to create the 'Ring of Fire' and melt the coldness, thanks to the elixir.'
A grin appeared on his lips without him realizing it.
***
Time flew by. It had already been two and a half years since Raon began to practice his 'Ring of Fire'.
His daily routine had become very simple.
He woke up in the morning and played with Sylvia and Helen. After lunch and the elixir, he pretended to fall asleep and trained the 'Ring of Fire' during this nap time.
After dinner, he would go to sleep early and wake up at around midnight. That was when he would begin his second round of practice, as everyone else was asleep.
Above all else, he was confident that when compared to all the other three-year-olds in the continent, he was the one who had lived life to the fullest.
'If all goes well, I think I can attain one-star for the 'Ring of Fire' today.'
There was steady progress, even if his training time was short, thanks to the elixir.
It seemed like he could practice the 'Ring of Fire' later, as long as he secured the right timing and focus.
'By the way, it seems he really doesn't care at all.'
Glenn Zieghart had not shown his face since he had given Raon his name. It seemed that he had no interest in not just Raon, but his daughter Sylvia as well.
'Well, doesn't matter.'
There was no need for him to bother if the other party did not make an effort. As he had planned before, he would leave the clan after taking what he needed, and that was that.
'But it is a little…'
It was just that Sylvia, Helen, and the other maids remaining behind weighed heavily on his mind. It seemed that, after being with them for three years, tiny feelings had begun to sprout in his heart.
"Raon. Call me 'Mommy'!"
While Raon was fidgeting with his fingers and thinking of the future, Sylvia giggled and held him up.
"Maam!"
"Ah! One more time!"
"Mama!"
"Aaah!"
When he forced himself to mumble and call her 'Mama', Sylvia's face brightened up. Her eyes melted in happiness.
"Raon. Just once more!"
"Mama!"
"Milady, I've brought the medicine."
As he played with Sylvia with a slightly tired look on his face, Helen brought over the heated elixir.
"Oh, thank you."
Sylvia accepted the bowl of elixir from Helen.
"Here, Raon."
She cooled the hot elixir a little and scooped it for him.
"Ah-mmf!"
Raon's small mouth came forward to meet the spoon.
"Look at you!"
Sylvia and Helen smiled as they watched Raon swallow the elixir, even two and a half years later.
"Sleepy…"
After finishing the elixir, Raon blinked his eyes heavily, as if he were sleepy.
"Since we finished the medicine, shall we go for a nap?"
"Mhm."
"Alright. Go to sleep."
Sylvia put Raon down on the bed facing the window and patted his stomach.
"Mmmm…"
Raon closed his eyes and acted as if he was falling asleep. He heard Sylvia and Helen leaving the room not long after. They took a break while he pretended to be asleep.
'I guess I can begin now.'
Raon recited the passage for the practice of the 'Ring of Fire' as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
He let the mana, which was sucked in from nature with his inhale, flow through his entire body.
'The flow of mana is smooth.'
The mana flowed more smoothly, though his breathing was the same as usual. He felt as if was going to achieve something.
'Calm down.'
He calmly exhaled and connected the line of mana flowing in the mana circuit. The tips of his fingers trembled, as his lungs were small and he quickly went out of breath, but he endured.
Using the hot energy from the elixir and mana from nature, he cut down the coldness inside the mana circuit. He then circulated it within his whole body.
* * *
* * *
Crackle.
He felt the energy from the elixir and mana permeate his bones, muscles, and skin.
He maintained his sharp focus, which was being sharpened like the edge of a knife, and continued with his cultivation of the 'Ring of Fire'.
After some time had passed…
Flash!
A burning sensation, as if a fireball cutting across his heart, resounded in his chest.
A warm energy whirled around in his heart like a hoop. He had finally finished the Ring of Fire.
'It's finally…"
Just as he was about to open his eyes and cheer, there was a flash of gold light.
Ding!
The first 'Wh-what's this?'
Just like when a magic circle would appear before sorcerers when they used magic, a light floated in front of his eyes.
Your body has become a little stronger with the effect of Other information popped up after the message stating that he had acquired the 'Ring of Fire'.
'Huh?'
Raon pursed his lips.
'What is this information…?'
He felt his body become lighter the instant the messages appeared.
Though there was not a massive difference, as it was a child's body, it was clear that there were changes.
'The pain has also subsided a little.'
The pain from the coldness blocking his mana circuit had decreased, as well.
'Did the Ring of Fire have this capability?'
While the Ring of Fire was correctly referred to as a legendary method of practice, the effectiveness was not remarkable until three rings had formed, and only after four rings did it take effect.
He had not experienced feeling a difference from merely achieving One-Star in his past life.
'Is it because of the elixir, or because it is a child's body?'
He tried to consider it from different angles but had no answer.
'Or is it because of this message…?'
Raon read the message floating in front of him again.
Though there were some differences between the present and his previous life, the biggest one seemed to be this message.
"Young master! You're already awake."
He heard Helen's voice from above his head. She seemed to have entered the room again while he was practicing.
"Hewen! Wook at tis!"
Raon pointed at the message, which resembled a magic circle.
"Yes? The Bed?"
As Helen did not seem to see it, the message appeared to be only visible to him.
Please check the 'Status Window? Huh?'
He repeated it mentally without knowing what it was, and a window with the same light as the message appeared.
Name: Raon Zieghart
Title: None
State: Curse of Frost (Nine Strands), Poor Stamina, Cold Body, Decline in Athletic Ability, Decline in Mana Affinity.
*Additional Abilities have not been unlocked.
He slowly examined the 'status window' in front of him.
'Curse of Frost, Poor Stamina, Cold Body, Decline in Athletic Ability, and Decline in Mana Affinity…'
The information seemed to point towards his current state.
'As expected, my body is poor in many ways.'
Apart from the Curse of Frost, he even had a cold body and poor stamina. That was the reason he tired quickly after moving even a little.
'But it doesn't matter.'
Raon closed his mouth. He was not at all worried, even if his constitution was bad.
He was named the best assassin in his previous life, and he knew the best practice—the 'Ring of Fire'.
If he completed the 'Ring of Fire' based on his experiences from his past life, it would be the same as not having those flaws.
'Furthermore, this is Zieghart.'
It was completely feasible to behead Derus Robert if he could master the swordsmanship techniques secretly documented within the Zieghart clan.
'And I am only three years old.'
Derus was one of the strongest on the continent. He would not be able to hold out if he got worked up over his revenge already.
There is barely anyone who can kill him, anyway. Roan had to grow his strength and finish it off at one go the moment he had the chance, slowly but steadily.
Raon balled his fists, as if making a pledge to himself, and looked at the status window again.
'So, really… What is this message?'
He had no idea why he was suddenly seeing the message and the status window. He could only tell from his instincts as an assassin that it was not going to hurt him.
'It probably has something to do with my reincarnation.'
He vaguely assumed that there was a connection between the message and the reason he was reborn with memories from his past life.
It seemed he had to figure it out slowly, just as he had to do on his quest for Derus Robert's head.
'Let's not be impatient and take it slow.'
***
The second Raon grinned widely after checking the message window.
'I finally did it.'
The second ring had formed upon consistent cultivation for the last two and a half years, starting after the first one had been obtained.
The first 'Ring of Fire' was spinning around his heart horizontally, while the second 'Ring of Fire', which had just formed, was spinning vertically.
Perhaps it was due to the message that his affinity had increased, but he did feel more sensitive towards the mana drifting in the room.
It was clear that the message was giving him a special benefit.
'To think that I managed to create two rings of fire by the age of five.'
It would be a first in the history of the continent for a child of the young age of five to have picked up the legendary practice of the 'Ring of Fire'. His heart swelled with pride.
'I don't want to cause them any harm.'
Sylvia, Helen, and the other maids had only showered him with kindness.
Though he was going to leave and could not provide help, he did not want to abuse their kindness.
"Phew."
The door burst open just as Raon was about to begin his practice again.
"My son!"
Sylvia entered. While she was smiling, her face looked pale.
"Mother?"
He had to call her mother properly now that he had passed five years of age. Though, he could not help the natural lisps in his pronunciation.
"Do you remember that I said there was somewhere you had to go with Mommy?"
She spoke as she placed the dark red attire that she had brought with her on the bed and pulled off his sleepwear.
'Come to think of it…'
She had said a few days prior that they were going to assemble the children from both lineal and collateral lines to check something.
"Don't worry. It will end quickly."
Sylvia smiled brightly, as if comforting him.
"Okay."
"How is my darling son so kind and good looking?!"
Sylvia paused in the middle of helping him change and rubbed her cheek against his face.
'Err, please…'
Raon's hands shook, unable to do anything.
It was Helen who stopped Sylvia, who had brought Raon into a long embrace even after having finished helping him change.
"Milady, now is not the time. The 'Judgment Ceremony' will begin soon!"
Held in Sylvia's arms, Raon left the annex building for the first time and went towards another large building on Zieghart land.
'That must be the main building.'
The building came into view. Its height almost seemed to reach the sky, and the width left his field of vision even from such a distance.
It would not have been at all strange for a building of that size to be called a castle, rather than a house.
'Suits the ruler of the North.'
Though Zieghart was just a noble family, they possessed more territory and military force than the kingdom. They were not a part of the Six Kings for nothing.
'So, everyone lives there?'
Helen had said that, excluding Sylvia and himself, the rest of the direct line family members resided near the main building—close to the head of house.
While there must be a reason that Sylvia lived apart from the annex building, he was not told what it was.
'They really do all sorts of things.'
A child's skull, initially bared open towards the sky, started closing when they reached four years of age. It was said that a child's aptitude for mana would not change afterwards. Fresh chapters posted on NoveIꜰire.net
The event that gathered the children with closed skulls, and checked their ability with mana, was the Judgment Ceremony being held that day.
'It doesn't matter, whatever I am.'
Even if his ability was of lowly status, the 'Ring of Fire' would raise his body and affinity for mana to its best condition. Gifted aptitude or the like were unimportant to him.
"Raon."
Sylvia held him up slightly just as he began to slowly spin the 'Ring of Fire'. He glanced to the side, noticing that they had already reached the entrance of the main building.
"Whatever Raon does, Mommy will not mind. You just have to grow healthily."
"Okay. I got it."
He smiled like a child who knew nothing.
"My son is really the cutest!"
She rubbed her face against his cheek again. He would be unable to move for five minutes if that kept up.
"Ahem. Milady."
"Oh, sorry!"
Sylvia came to her senses as Helen cleared her throat. It was a relief that she had come with them.
"Let us go in. We may have been a little late."
"Okay."
She entered the Lord's manor while holding onto Raon.
'The standards are high.'
Perhaps it was because it was the main building, and the Lord's manor at that. There wasn't a single normal person inside. There was a bright twinkle in the eyes of not just the soldiers, but the attendants and maids as well.
"We will arrive soon. Hang in there."
"Okay."
Together with Sylvia, Raon passed the central corridor of the first floor. An iron gate, large enough for a giant to walk through, stood at the end of it. It was the entrance to the audience chamber where the Judgment Ceremony would be held.
"Sylvia Zieghart, Raon Zieghart, Helen Carvin. Verified."
The soldier guarding the audience chamber turned on his heel and opened the door.
Cre-ak!
Following the dull sound of metal being twisted, a whole new world opened up.
A brilliant light poured down from the ceiling, and on there were ornaments—of which the worth could not possibly be fathomed—lining the gold-coloured wall.
That room, which made one instinctively think of money, was the audience chamber to meet the head of House Zieghart, Glenn.
Boom!
With the sound of the door closing, the attention of the people in the room pierced Raon like an arrow.
"Sylvia? Then that child is Sylvia's?"
"What young child has the looks, to such a…"
"Blonde, with red eyes."
"He's small. I heard he had an illness, is that true?"
"Must be, since he inherited the blood of a loser."
"It should be referred to as a failure, not a loser."
People whom he had never seen before all paid close attention to Raon. Of course, it was not of the positive sort.
Because he was so young, Raon was able to feel the underlying emotions shot at him directly.
"To even let a guy like him enter."
"Is there a need to progress with the Judgment Ceremony for a failure's son?"
"Exactly. This is lowering the standards."
Though he did not know who the 'loser' or 'failure' they referenced was, they were very obviously condemning both Sylvia and him.
'Hmm…'
Raon wriggled his fists. While he was completely indifferent to being referred to as small, his chest felt tight.
"It's alright, Raon. Just look at me."
Sylvia gave him a smile, even after hearing words like 'failure' and 'outlaw' bandied about.
'She's strong, as expected.'
Sylvia was a person with a strong mind. At her gentle voice, the throbbing of his heart settled down.
'They must be from the collateral line.'
Raon's eyes, which skimmed the interior of the audience chamber once he regained his composure, stopped at the top of the platform.
Seven people were sitting on red chairs.
They surrounded themselves with an aura on a different level compared to those below and were looking down on the others.
'They are in a different league.'
If the collateral line below were foxes and wolves, then the direct line on the platform already gave off the presence of a dragon soaring through the sky.
While they did not open their mouths like the collateral relatives, they looked down at him and Sylvia as if gazing upon trash.
'Seems they are all enemies.'
He had just reached the conclusion that it was a broken family when Sylvia headed not towards the top of the platform, but the bottom. And she went straight to the end of it.
'It's strange.'
He had many questions.
There is, usually, a wall between the direct and collateral lineage that could not be overcome. If it were the direct line, it would not be as strange as the collateral line very obviously provoking a fight.
Furthermore, Sylvia lived separately, and could not head up the platform. It was obvious that she was being discriminated against for some reason, even if she was of the direct line.
'What's the reason?'
It might be from being called an outlaw and a loser, or because she lost a spar or a war.
Clang!
As he was considering the reason for the discrimination Sylvia was facing, the soldiers standing outside the door of the audience chamber brought down their spears.
"The head of House Zieghart, ruler of the North. Lord Glenn Zieghart has arrived!"
With that, the large iron doors of the audience chamber opened wide.
Glenn Zieghart revealed himself with a domineering shock that rang through the air, at which the very atmosphere seemed to tremble.
Gravity seemed to be heavier, and it became difficult to breathe from his arrival alone. A suffocating tension ran through Raon's spine.
"Lord Zieghart!"
The dragons looking down from the top of the platform, as well as the wolves who bared their teeth from below, all knelt at the same time.
Thump.
The sound of his footsteps.
With the same hard sound of his footsteps as five years ago, Glenn Zieghart entered. He spread his absolute presence, which weighed down the entirety of the audience chamber, as he sat down on the golden throne in the middle of the platform.
"Let us begin."
The moment he flicked his fingers, a sword burst from the middle of the audience chamber. It was an enormous stone sword, which seemed like it would be difficult for even giants to hold up.
'That must be the Sword of Judgment.'
The sword, an object from a thousand years ago, was said to be able to identify a person's aptitude for mana when they put their hands on it.
The Judgment Ceremony utilized the stone sword to determine the children's aptitudes.
"First, Burren Zieghart."
* * *
* * *
Upon hearing his name called, a boy with blue hair—sitting in the second row on the platform and looking to be around six years old—stood.
"Please put your hand on the sword."
When he came down to the platform, the master of the ceremony pointed at the stone sword. Burren nodded his head and placed his hand on it.
A green light blossomed from the Burren's fingertips and enveloped the entire sword, and a thick air bloomed from the hilt.
"Ooh!"
"It's Wind! It's Wind!"
"Seeing as the entire sword lit up, the quality of his mana is also top class!"
"It is truly a talent befitting the child of Lord Karoon!"
"Congratulations!"
The collaterals standing below the platform sent applause and cheers towards the middle-aged man that had been sitting next to Burren.
"It is an attribute well-suited to a swordsman. Concentrate on feeling the wind from now on."
"Yes, I will!"
Glenn nodded, and Burren beamed as brightly as a sunflower facing the sun, before returning to his seat.
"Next, from the vassal family of Sullion, Runaan Sullion."
"Yes."
A silver-haired girl, who was sitting at the right end of the platform, stood up quietly.
Like the nobility serving the King, the vassal families serving Zieghart were great families in the North.
Sullion appeared to be on the platform with the direct lineage, as they were the representatives of the vassal families.
The girl named Runaan approached the stone sword with calm eyes and placed her hand on it.
Cling!
The moment her hand touched the sword, a silvery light that looked as if the moon had melted burst out of the blunt sword tip.
The light that burst out did not stop at filling up the sword completely, instead traveling up the sword hilt and creating a silver frost around the entire sword.
"Frost? And around the whole sword, at that!"
"Is it the same level of aptitude as Lord Burren…"
"Sullion is definitely something."
"Yet another genius from the Sullion family."
However, the sounds of applause and cheers were not as loud as when it was with Burren. It seemed there was a competitive relationship between the vassal families and the collateral line.
"You have a good attribute. If it can be sharpened like the edge of a knife, it will be able to pierce through anything."
Glenn Zieghart nodded his head at Runaan as well.
"Thank you."
Runaan bowed her head without a significant change in her expression, and jumped down with the grace of a cat, before returning to her seat.
There were two more children from the direct line, collaterals and vassals all put their hands atop the stone sword, but there was no one who had aptitude comparable to Burren or Runaan.
'Now I know.'
Raon flicked his fingers. As he witnessed the others' Judgment Ceremony, he could determine what was good and what was bad.
'For mana purity, it is how far the light from the blade of the sword travels. As for the mana attribute, it shows from the tip of the hilt.'
In the case where the quality of mana was outstanding, the entire sword shone like it did for Runaan or Burren, and the special attributes of mana could be determined through the hilt of the sword.
"Lastly, Raon Zieghart. Please come forward."
"Let's go, Raon."
"Okay."
When he nodded his head, Sylvia smiled sweetly and held him up.
"You saw the others do it, right? You just do the same."
Sylvia brought him down in front of the stone sword and held out her own hand as if giving a demonstration.
"Okay."
He answered shortly and looked at the stone sword.
'It probably won't be good.'
Though the 'Ring of Fire' was Two-Star, the coldness in his mana crcuit remained at a shocking level.
Considering his current condition, he would not be able to spread as brilliant a light as the other children.
"Phew."
He slowly breathed out and stretched his hand towards the stone sword.
The moment his hand touched the stone sword, a wave broke out in his heart as if a pebble had dropped into a pond. A small whistle extended from his chest and rang through his entire body.
'What's this?'
Just as he was about to remove his hand because of the strange sensation, something flashed in front of his eyes.
He saw a blonde man clad in silver armor.
There was an uncountable number of monsters crashing towards him, like a wave.
'What is this…?'
Even though it was obviously an illusion, the sensation felt so real that he broke out in a cold sweat.
He was unable to breathe properly, hand trembling, when the man picked up the sword.
A gold flame burned over the dazzlingly beautiful sword edge.
He drew down the sword engulfed by flames like a thunderbolt.
At that moment…
A golden flame shot out from the earth and covered the entire world.
He averted his eyes from the golden flames filling his entire field of vision and shut his eyes. When he opened them again, the world had changed again and there was a message in front of him
You are cultivating the You have not acquired ???.
Not enough achievement.
When he tilted his head at the indecipherable message, a light burst from the stone sword.
The light that had started traveling up violently, lost its strength and stopped at the middle of the sword.
There was no special ability or high purity like the others. He was of the aptitude that fell short of even the collateral line, let alone the direct lineage.
"Done already?"
"It doesn't even reach the middle?"
"Hahaha! Isn't it the first time we're seeing something so little?"
"The quality of mana is bad, and it is white, so there's no ability either."
"There's nothing other than his looks."
"Seems like the God of War doesn't look over the child of an outlaw, as expected."
Those of the direct line that witnessed the Judgment Ceremony scrunched up their faces, while those of the collateral line openly sneered.
"..."
Glenn, who had provided short advice to the direct and collateral lineage, did not open his mouth either.
"Phew…"
Raon let out a soft sigh.
He was used to being disregarded. It had already been a long time since he threw away his emotions. He had been raised as not a human, but a dog, and was indoctrinated further. He could accept criticisms or insults any time.
He was going to take what he could and leave anyway. He did not want to care about what would happen.
Though Sylvia and the maids treated him as real family, that sentiment did not change.
But at that very moment, he was in a strangely subdued mood.
Seeing them ridiculing not just him, but also Sylvia and Helen as well, his heart throbbed as if electrocuted.
'Alright.'
Raon clenched his teeth. Sylvia and the maids were the first people to ever treat him as a human being.
He pledged to show the direct and collateral lines that sneered at him that bestowed talent was insignificant.
"I participate in the Judgment Ceremony all the time, but this is my first time seeing that kind of level."
"Is he really a Zieghart?"
"So, the talent that Sylvia had has gone to waste. There's nothing in him other than the fact that he is blonde with red eyes, like the head of house."
He remembered each and every one of their faces, those that babbled on unthinkingly.
"Stop."
The entire audience chamber froze at that single word from Glenn.
"This is the end of the Judgment Ceremony. Everyone is to leave."
"My lord?"
"Do I have to repeat myself?"
"All of you are dismissed."
When Karoon Zieghart—Glenn's second son—stood up, the others furtively glanced around before leaving the audience chamber. All while quietly mumbling a curse at Raon and Sylvia, of course.
Less than five minutes later, the only people remaining in the audience chamber were Glenn Zieghart, who was the owner of the room, and his Chief Butler, Roenn.
"It cannot be helped."
Glenn calmly nodded as he stared at the Sword of Judgment set in the middle of the room.
"Lord Zieghart…."
Just as Roenn was about to approach him…
Crackle!
A light burst from the bottom of the Sword of Judgment, traveling beyond the sword edge to the end of the hilt.
The light was of a golden color, as saturated as the sun, and a blazing fire was burning at the end of the sword hilt.
"Golden flames?"
A storm raged in Glenn's eyes for the first time.