Raon returned to the annex building before the company dinner ended.
He wanted to enjoy the dinner with the Light Wind division until the end, but he couldn't attend the executive meeting looking like a beggar, so he left early and finished showering.
As he was putting on his neatly ironed uniform, Wrath jumped up like a frog.
-You liar! This king is not satisfied yet!
Wrath swung his fists as if regretting not having fully enjoyed the dinner.
'It can't be helped.'
Raon shook his head as he pushed away the charging Wrath.
'There's a meeting, we can't spend all our time there. Besides, we ate plenty of food.'
Fearing Wrath might cause a ruckus like this, he had eaten all the food at the buffet, but he couldn't understand why Wrath was still acting up.
-It's not just about the food. As our subordinates are there, this king should have stayed until the end of the dinner!
The fellow waved his hands, saying that as a king, he should always remain by his subordinates' side. Now it seemed he regretted not being able to stay until the end more than not eating all the food.
'I thought he was just a simple glutton. No, he is a glutton.'
Wrath always showed sincerity to his subordinates, and this time it seemed he wanted to cherish the dinner time.
'I'll try to arrange another gathering next time.'
Feeling a bit regretful myself, I pushed away the clinging Wrath while saying we'd hold another dinner next time.
I left the room after fastening the Heavenly Drive to my uniform's waist. As I was about to exit through the front door, Sylvia and the maids were waiting in front of it.
"Why are you here?"
"It's your first executive meeting, isn't it? We were waiting to cheer you on."
Sylvia approached and straightened out my slightly crumpled collar.
"How did you know..."
"I have a friend in the Shadow Agents! I heard it from them!"
Ensia grinned, bringing her V-shaped fingers to her eyes.
"Ah..."
You again?
I thought it was strange how well Sylvia and the maids were aware of my information lately, but it was all thanks to that person's ability. As expected, she was an eccentric not inferior even to Merlin.
"Are you well prepared? Even the division leaders who acknowledge you might be a bit different at the round table..."
"What do you mean by 'different'?"
"The round table conference is like a small battlefield. The executives argue and even duel to get better missions that can build their achievements, missions that can gain more, or comfortable missions."
Sylvia sighed, seeming to know well about the executive meetings.
"There might be some territorialism, but you'll be able to learn more about Zieghart, so think of it as a learning experience and come back."
"You seem to know a lot."
"I've observed it when I was in the direct lineage."
Sylvia smiled faintly.
"Ah, I didn't need to worry. Rimmer will be going with you this time."
"No."
Raon calmly shook his head.
"That guy. He's passed out drunk."
Rimmer had emptied all the alcohol at the buffet, saying he'd eat and drink until he died, and then passed out. By now, he'd be sprawled out sleeping in his quarters.
"Uh, um..."
Sylvia blinked blankly and then pursed her lips.
"I'm sure you'll do well, Lord Raon!"
Ensia smiled, saying everything would be fine.
"G-Good luck."
Siyana still stuttered, but her voice was definitely stronger than before. It seems Raon's biography was progressing well.
"..."
Judiel silently bowed her head, but her lowered gaze showed faith that Raon would do well.
"I'll be back."
Raon waved his hand to everyone and headed towards the main building. He walked to the circular building called the executive meeting hall or round table conference room and stood in front of the door.
"We greet the Light Wind Division Leader."
Two swordsmen waiting in front of the meeting hall door bowed with their hands on their swords.
"Please enter."
The swordsmen raised their heads and opened the door for him to enter.
Raon nodded to the swordsmen and entered the meeting hall.
Walking down a short corridor, a soft light rose, revealing a massive round table that seemed to have room for dozens of people to sit.
The color of the round table was tinged black as if shadowed, creating a strange harmony contrasting with the silver walls bathed in moonlight.
Several executives were already seated at the round table, and a middle-aged man sitting in the middle quickly stood up and waved his hand.
"Raon!"
It was Trevin, the Warring Steel Division Leader, with a refreshing personality as crisp as his short golden hair. He approached in one step with a broad smile.
"Warring Steel Division Leader."
"I finally get to meet you here."
Trevin said he was glad to see Raon and grabbed his shoulder.
"Didn't we meet not too long ago?"
He spoke as if it had been a long time, but they had met in the audience chamber after Raon's return, and before that, they had even done joint training with the Light Wind division.
"I mean here."
He pointed to the black round table.
"I wanted to see you at this round table conference."
Trevin grinned and raised his finger.
"I was curious to see what kind of trouble you'd cause here."
He led Raon towards the end of the black round table, still holding his shoulder.
"Come this way. I'll guide you to the Light Wind Division Leader's seat."
It seemed that each executive had a designated seat at this round table. Raon followed Trevin to the right end of the table.
However, strangely, while all other division leaders' seats were located on the inner side, the Light Wind Division Leader's seat was placed at the end, even lower than the platform.
"Why is only the Light Wind division seated separately?"
"That's..."
"Because he doesn't come."
The explanation for the question came not from Trevin, but from a red-haired woman sitting on the inner side of the round table.
It was Serena, the Void Sword Division Leader, with impressive deep blue eyes like a sunlit lake.
Serena, like Trevin, was someone who always showed a friendly demeanor.
"Void Sword Division Leader."
Raon bowed his head to Serena.
"No need for formalities. This isn't a place where you need to greet people."
Serena waved her hand, telling him to be at ease.
"Um, but what do you mean by 'he doesn't come'?"
"It means exactly that. Your former division leader never showed up, so the Heavenly Blade Division Leader stuck him in the end seat."
She clicked her tongue, saying she had hardly ever seen Rimmer in the round table conference room.
"She's right. I've hardly ever seen Lord Rimmer either."
The Warring Steel Division Leader also shook his head, saying he had never seen Rimmer here.
"...I see."
Raon bit his lip. He immediately believed what he heard about his division leader from others.
'That damn elf...'
Rimmer had always left the training ground early, saying he would bring back good missions from the meetings. Now it seemed he had been at the gambling den during that time.
"Then how did we get assigned missions?"
"You got stuck with the leftovers that no one else wanted."
Serena chuckled.
"Hmm..."
Raon chewed his lip thinly.
'No wonder all our missions were so lousy.'
Considering how life-threatening their missions had always been, it was clear they had only been getting the ones others didn't want.
"Sigh..."
Raon sighed and sat in the Light Wind Division Leader's seat. As he wiped the dusty nameplate, he vowed to tease Rimmer even more.
"So, how does it feel? Being a division leader?"
Serena winked while sitting in her seat.
"To be honest, it doesn't feel much different. I feel like I've been doing the division leader's job for a long time already."
He expressed his honest feelings.
"That's exactly the answer I expected. Such a model student."
Serena smiled, saying she knew he'd say that.
"I thought you were a division leader from the first time I met you."
Trevin grinned and nodded.
"Is that so."
Raon gave a faint smile. For the first time, he was chatting with the two of them as an equal.
* * *
Glenn stood with his arms crossed on the top floor of the Lord's Manor, which could easily be called an observatory. He nodded slightly as he recalled Raon entering the conference room moments ago.
'He's grown, albeit slightly.'
He could sense that Raon's mental image had expanded a bit. It seemed he had developed his existing skills rather than learning new ones, as advised when given the interpreted version of the martial arts.
Glenn had thought Raon had neglected his own training while focusing on the Light Wind division for three weeks, but that wasn't the case at all. That child hadn't abandoned his own cultivation while nurturing his subordinates.
'He's a child one can't help but cherish.'
With talent, personality, and patience, there was nothing to discard. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the greatest masterpiece in Zieghart's history.
"Head of House."
As Glenn was nodding with satisfaction, Roenn approached from the side.
"There's no need to worry too much even if it's his first round table conference. Lord Rimmer will be coming soon."
"...He won't be able to come because he's passed out."
Chad, the Shadow Agents' Leader, shook his chin as he looked at Roenn.
"Passed out?"
Glenn frowned as he looked at Chad.
"Did he get injured during training?"
"That's not it. The Light Wind Division Leader held a company dinner to celebrate the end of training, and he passed out from drinking there."
Chad swallowed dryly as he explained why Rimmer had passed out.
Crackle!
As soon as Glenn heard about Rimmer, he sparked lightning in his palm. An intense aura flared up that would have truly turned Rimmer to ashes if he were here.
"Hmm..."
Roenn licked his lips and raised a finger.
"Since the Heavenly Blade Division Leader isn't here either, perhaps I should..."
"No, there's no need for that."
Glenn shook his head as he looked at Roenn.
"Rimmer's absence will be more helpful."
He muttered that it wasn't necessary, as if trusting in Raon.
"Still, the executives seen in the audience chamber and those at the round table will be different..."
Chad also lowered his eyebrows, seeming uneasy.
"It's fine."
Glenn turned around and calmly shook his head. He curled up the corners of his mouth slightly, as if seeing the future.
"Because I've let loose a dog. No, a shark."
* * *
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the executives seated around the round table.
'They're completely different from when I saw them before.'
Although they were people he had often seen in the audience chamber, their demeanor here was entirely different.
The auras that had been suppressed by the Transcendent Warrior Glenn Zieghart were now rising like wildfire, baring their teeth as if ready to devour each other.
'So these are Zieghart's executives.'
Both the palace masters and division leaders all possessed intense auras and eyes filled with spirit.
Whether they were acquainted with him or not, Raon felt proud that such martial artists belonged to Zieghart.
Boom!
As Raon was smiling with satisfaction, the conference room door opened with a surge of aura on a completely different level from before.
Entering with heavy steps was Balder. The round table conference is also called the executive meeting or division leaders' meeting.
Though he knew that palace masters rarely participated, surprisingly, Balder had joined.
"Lord Balder?"
"To think the True Martial Palace Master would come..."
"What a rare occurrence."
"Still, doesn't he come more often than the Light Wind Division Leader?"
Murmurs of surprise could be heard from other executives here and there.
"Hmph."
Balder snorted at Raon sitting in the corner, then went to sit in the innermost seat.
This time, the door opened smoothly as if oiled.
However, the aura of the person who entered was as vast as Balder's, yet more refined. Denier, with an aura as perfectly woven as if sewn with thread, walked in with calm eyes.
Denier made eye contact with the executives around the table, then finally looked at Raon. He showed a gentle smile as if welcoming him, then sat opposite Balder.
[Does the Wise Martial Palace Master also come occasionally?]
Raon sent an aura message to Trevin, who was sitting far away.
[No.]
Trevin shook his head.
[The Wise Martial Palace Master participates in every round table if not on a mission. He's popular among the executives for often giving up missions to others.]
He smiled, saying Denier was completely different from Balder.
Raon looked at the two palace masters sitting in the innermost seats.
Balder furrowed his brow as if displeased with the situation, while Denier maintained his usual calm gaze.
As everyone fell silent under the weight of their auras, the door opened one last time, and Chad, the Shadow Agents' Leader, entered.
"It seems I'm the last to arrive."
Chad bowed his head as if apologizing for being late. He went to the innermost part and stood between Denier and Balder, taking out some documents.
"As it's time, let's begin the meeting."
Chad nodded slightly as he opened the first document.
"Let's start with the continental situation. Thanks to the efforts of the executives here, there have been no major issues within Zieghart's territory. In fact, we've often raised our reputation by resolving external incidents."
His gaze moved from the document to Raon.
"However, just because Zieghart's territory is peaceful doesn't mean the entire continent is tranquil."
The Shadow Agents' Leader's eyes flickered with a strange light.
"Eden attacked Sepia, war broke out between Balkar and the Black Tower, and the South-North Union destroyed the Garam family to claim new land. The White Blood Religion also devoured the Kazan Divine Religion, and the Holy Sword Alliance has begun their advance on the world."
He seemed to have investigated the trends of the entire Five Demons, knowing their actions in detail.
"Of course, that's not all. The Five Divine Orders are also moving meticulously. Even if we assume Lady Alice's forces are staying put, the remaining four are also plotting something. Just as a forest fire starts from a small spark, we can't ignore anything, no matter how difficult it may seem."
The Shadow Agents' Leader recited the continent's situation in a cool tone, unlike how he trembled before Glenn.
It was as if he had become a completely different person. Just as Raon was thinking he shouldn't be underestimated, Chad continued.
"However, what's drawing the most attention right now is neither the Six Kings and the Five Demons nor the Five Divine Orders."
"The Sword Saint?"
Serena briefly licked her lips.
"That's correct."
The Shadow Agents' Leader nodded, making eye contact with Serena.
"A map has appeared showing the location of the tomb of the Sword Saint, who was ranked as the continent's strongest hundreds of years ago. Currently, the map is in the possession of an assassin known as Baegsau."
He seemed to have used the Shadow Agents' intelligence network, knowing even the assassin's alias.
Raon frowned upon hearing that name.
'Baegsau...'
When Merlin had mentioned it, it seemed a martial artist named Ghostly Treasure Seeker had possessed it, but it appeared the ownership had changed during Raon's training.
"With the Six Kings and the Five Demons clashing repeatedly, and now the Sword Saint's tomb being revealed, the continent is in such a precarious state that it wouldn't be strange to call it a powder keg."
Chad let out a short sigh.
"I ask that all executives who go out on missions remain vigilant and maintain firm control over their subordinates."
He offered this advice and warning, then lowered the first document.
"Now, I'll begin assigning missions. If any executive has a preferred mission, please raise your hand."
Chad raised the second document. It seemed that the missions were written on that paper.
Raon licked his lips as he observed the atmosphere around the round table.
'If possible, I'd like to see the Sword Saint's tomb.'
Given that Chad mentioned the Sword Saint's tomb first, there was likely a mission involving exploring it. It seemed more appealing than other missions, as there might be more to gain from it.
"The first mission, as I mentioned earlier, is reconnaissance of Zieghart's territory. It involves a route from the North Sea to the end of North Grave Mountain. Despite appearances, it's a crucial mission as we need to prepare for any potential anomalies or attacks."
Chad raised his voice as he lowered the document.
"Those who want the reconnaissance mission, please raise your hands."
A few palace masters and Trevin raised their hands in response to his question.
"Hmm, then this mission will go to the Warring Steel Div-"
"Wait."
As Chad was about to choose Trevin, Balder raised his hand.
"Such a trivial task... Isn't it usually done by the youngest?"
He muttered that it was trivial, seemingly having already forgotten Chad's earlier statement about its importance, and looked in Raon's direction.
"The youngest..."
Chad tilted his head as he looked at Balder.
"There he is. The kid sitting at the round table for the first time today."
Balder openly pointed at Raon. It seemed he was trying to pick a fight, and doing so directly without going through subordinates - he was truly consistent.
"He just became a division leader and it's his first time at the round table. At times like this, it's right for him to take on the menial tasks on behalf of his seniors."
He frowned, saying that kids these days have no manners.
"Hmm..."
Chad furrowed his brow as he fiddled with the document. It seemed he was trying to think of a way to stop Balder.
Raon smirked at the sight.
'As expected.'
He had thought Balder, who acted like a beast driven by mood, would surely pick a fight, and it turned out just as predicted.
"I'm also aware that there's a senior-junior relationship among executives."
Raon gave a slight bow as he looked at Balder.
"However, I believe that relationship exists for mutual consideration, not for pushing unwanted tasks onto others."
He presented this argument to the frowning Balder.
"As the leader of a martial force guiding subordinates, one should receive missions that can be carried out with full effort. I think it's disrespectful to this round table to accept unwanted missions just because one is junior."
After saying this, Raon sat back down.
"You, you insolent brat!"
Balder stood up, furrowing his brow.
"Just because you've achieved a little, you think you can disrespect your elders! Do you know where you are to argue like this!"
"Isn't this the round table? I believe it was made round for discussions like this."
Raon smiled as he touched the round table in front of him.
"Grr, fine. You're right."
Surprisingly, Balder readily admitted his mistake.
"But this place isn't just for discussions. If opinions clash, we can also settle things with force."
He clenched his fist as if he had caught Raon in a trap.
"Today, I'll..."
Just as Balder was about to twist his lips, the conference room door burst open, and Alice entered.
Whoosh!
Her body vanished as if turning into light, then reappeared at the end of the round table, kicking Balder's cheek.
Crash!
Suddenly struck, Balder crashed through his chair and into the wall.
"Huh?"
"Ah..."
"What, what's going on?"
Everyone's jaws dropped at the sudden turn of events.
"You old-fashioned bastard."
Alice frowned as she stepped on the fallen Balder's head.
"A new executive arrives and instead of looking after them, you pick a fight? You're so petty it's disgusting!"
"Grrgh!"
Balder pushed Alice's foot away and sprang up.
"Sister! What do you think you're doing!"
"I couldn't stand watching you act like such an old fogy!"
Alice muttered that it made her sick as she sat in Balder's seat.
"Ugh..."
Balder gritted his teeth, unable to do anything but bite his lip.
"What a waste of that bulk, you fool."
"Bulk? What bulk!"
"Fat, of course! What else!"
Alice frowned as she looked at Balder's bulky muscles.
"This isn't fat, it's muscle! Even if you're my sister, saying such things..."
"Oh really? Then I'll call you a muscle lump."
"That's fine then!"
Balder nodded, seemingly satisfied, as he stood next to Alice.
Raon blinked as he watched this scene.
'He's satisfied with that?'
Despite being hit, losing his seat, and being insulted, he seemed content with just being called a muscle lump. It was both easy to understand and incomprehensible at the same time.
"Chad?"
"Yes. Yes!"
At Alice's call, Chad swallowed dryly and nodded.
"Give it here."
She forcibly snatched the document from Chad's hand and held it up.
"You lot have no consideration. When there's a newcomer, you should look after them."
Alice said this and then raised the document towards Raon.
"Our nephew. What do you want to do? It's your first mission. This aunt will treat you."
"Ah..."
Raon looked at the beaming Alice and then squeezed his eyes shut.
'Please stop...'