Chapter 6

“Did you just mention the name Sieghart? Do you even know how much weight it comes with it?

A flicker of flame appeared in Glenn Sieghart's eyes.

“Urgh!”

Raon bit his lip so hard that it began to bleed.

It feels as if my flesh is becoming heavier.

Although Glenn had only released a small amount of energy, like taking a scoop of water from a vast sea, it had a profound impact.

He could feel cold sweat running down his spine, causing his clothes to stick to his back.

If he hadn’t created the Ring of Fire, he would’ve fainted just now.

Is this the power of a martial artist called the Northern Lord of Destruction?

He’d made him suffer with just a look. His power was clearly even greater than Derus Robert’s. Raon couldn’t lift up his head.

“Say it again. Can you take responsibility for what you just said?”

“M-Mr. Sieghart, Raon’s still young. He didn’t know what he was saying.”

“She’s right! Mr. Raon isn’t quite aware of the weight of the name...”

Sylvia and Helen ran up next to him and got on their knees.

“Mr. Sieghart, he’s still just a child. Please retract the energy.”

Dennier Sieghart got up and blocked the energy.

“Mr. Dennier!”

“To think that he even cares about such an arrogant child... How generous is he?”

“His kindness is greater than his martial power.”

Collateral families rejoiced at Dennier's words.

“I’m talking right now.”

“Ugh!”

“Urgh...”

Glenn’s overwhelming voice made both Dennier and Sylvia move back simultaneously. It wasn’t that they’d stepped back. Glenn’s voice had physically pushed them back.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Dennier dropped his head. But Sylvia was back down.

“F-father...”

She endured Glenn's energy with an auror-less body and continued to come near Raon.

“Raon isn’t ready to receive training yet…”

Sylvia’s eyes were filled with worry for him.

His chest tingled.

I’m not sure.

He wasn't sure if these bursting emotions were pity, worry, or something else.

However, he hoped she could always smile and be happy instead.

I was an assassin.

Assassins are creatures who dwell in the shadows. They befriend life and death, and never reveal themselves.

But not anymore.

I won’t live as an assassin anymore.

Raon decided he’d put Sylvia back in her position as Raon Sieghart, not the assassin.

At that moment, he heard a sound like a chain being unshackled.

“I do not know.”

Raon forced himself to lift up his head. He did not avoid Glenn’s overwhelming eyes. He continued to speak, fighting the urge to clench his eyes shut immediately.

“I grew up in the annex, not this main building. I do not know how reputable and powerful the House of Sieghart is.”

“R-Raon!”

Sylvia rushed to call his name but he didn’t look back.

“So I’d like to participate in the training to find out more about this House.”

As he finished speaking, everyone stopped breathing and looked at Glenn.

One of his eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Does that mean you’ll determine the level of this house through mere basic training?”

“That’s the only way I can learn more about this house at the moment.”

“Then I best order the instructor to be well prepared, so you are not disappointed.”

The drawing room fell silent as a grave due to the flames that now bloomed from Glenn’s scarlet eyes.

“Argh...” Raon eventually couldn't tolerate it and dropped his head. Currently, he was only twelve. He was just a child who couldn't even handle an ounce of Glenn's power.

However, that didn’t mean he would surrender.

If he consistently created the Ring of Fire and learned to practice proper and exceptional auror, he'd be able to confidently stand in front of him one day.

Raon clenched his jaw, determined to show it by his actions rather than words.

One day.

***

Only Glenn and his butler, Roen, were in the silent drawing room after everyone else had left.

“Did you see it?”

“Yes, sir. I saw it clearly.” Roen nodded heavily at Glenn’s question.

“That boy is something.”

Glenn's lips curved upward slightly.

"A twelve-year-old talking to me with confidence while tolerating my energy? I've never witnessed anyone like him."

“Me neither,” Roen said, smirking as he brushed up his hair.

“Not only his appearance, but also his spirit exactly reminds me of you when you were young.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Glenn scoffed as if he was talking nonsense, but his lips curved up even more, like blades of grass swaying in the breeze.

“Are you planning to increase the difficulty of the basic training?”

“I better, since there were so many witnesses.”

“Will Mr. Raon be able to pass the training?”

“Participating alone will be difficult.”

Glenn shook his head without hesitation.

“Although his physical condition has improved from the elixirs, both his build and strength are weak. Perhaps when he recovers a little more... But it’ll be difficult for now.”

“Then why—?”

“I told you. There are no exceptions or rejections for Siegharts.”

“Hm.” Roen licked his lips.

He still has trouble being honest.

He knew this from his decades of experience working for him.

The reason Glenn had called Raon wasn't to pressure him, but rather to show others that he didn’t discriminate against him and to protect him.

If Raon failed the training, he'd probably grant him an elixir, disguising it as an act of pity.

Although even Glenn wouldn't have realized that Raon stepped forward himself.

“Although I quite like his personality, I’ve got one concern.”

“The children of the direct and collateral families.”

“Yes. They won’t react much, but he'll attract attention, unlike before. He endured your energy, even though it was a small amount. Shouldn’t we try to prevent it in advan—?”

“No, just watch. There’s no need to provoke.”

“I understand.”

Roen nodded immediately at Glenn's order, even though he had his own opinion. To him, Glenn was no different from a god.

“Mr. Sieghart, may I ask one question?”

“Hm?”

“What will you do if Mr. Raon passes the basic training?”

“Passes?”

He thought of the Discovery Ceremony that was held seven years ago, resting his head on one hand.

Golden flames.

Although he wasn't sure if it was a coincidence or an abnormality, Raon had demonstrated golden flames that were known to have only been used by the first head of the house.

“That’s impossible. But if it happens, as a one in a million chance...”

He stood up from the throne, smirking.

“I shall grant him a reward that suits such an achievement.”

***

Raon was dragged into Sylvia’s room as soon as they arrived at the annex.

“Raon…” She tightly grabbed both of his shoulders. “Seriously, why did you do that?”

“Um...”

“The training of the House of Sieghart isn't easy on children. You can’t go through it in your current physical condition. You’ll only end up getting hurt.”

Sylvia's voice grew deeper. Her hands were shaking because she was worried about him.

“I couldn’t stand it.”

“What?”

“I’m also not sure which emotion drove me to do it.”

Raon then closed his eyes. He was speaking the truth.

Although he had lived with Sylvia and Helen for twelve years, his emotions were still as faint as the pastel-toned blue sky.

“Every time you get treated badly when we go to the main building, I feel frustrated. So I wanted to say something.”

He spoke honestly. He didn’t want to lie to Sylvia and Helen.

“Oh...”

“Mr. Raon...”

Sylvia’s mouth opened up, while Helen’s eyes wavered.

“Haa...”

Sylvia released his shoulders then slowly blinked her eyes.

“Raon. I appreciate that you worry about me, but you’re still young. You don’t need to worry about me. At this age you should be complaining about everything.”

“But...”

“You may not know, but I’m pretty strong. I can tolerate it any time.”

Sylvia bit her tongue to prevent herself from tearing up.

He’s such a...

Raon was a nice kid whom she didn't believe she deserved. As if he had sensed the atmosphere, he didn't complain like other children and endured it alone even when he was sick.

Because of that, she couldn’t let him walk down this difficult path on his own.

“I’ll go talk to your grandfather. If I ask him to delay the training just for one year, he’ll—”

“I’ll try. No, I can do it.”

Raon shook his head gently. He did step forward for Sylvia, but there was another reason.

The basic training was an opportunity for him to train his body without worrying about Sylvia and Helen. He couldn't afford to miss this chance, which had come his way on its own.

“I’m serious. Trust me, I can do it.”

“It’s not about whether you can. It’s about how your health could get worse.”

“Hmm...”

Raon squinted and stared into her eyes.

So that’s what she meant.

They were focusing on different things.

He was talking about how he could endure the training while Sylvia was worrying about his health.

Due to the times when he only cared about his performance as an assassin, he couldn't fully understand her.

“Then I’ll give up right away if my condition becomes worse.”

He gave a diplomatic response to lessen Sylvia’s concern.

“You don’t say anything even when you’re sick. How can I trust you?!”

“I promise.”

“Haa...” She let out a deep sigh, cradling her head.

“Ms. Sylvia. How about we try trusting him this once?”

“Helen, you know what he’s like...”

"You're right about the training intensity, but the instructor this time is the one with the keenest eye in the House of Sieghart. He’ll stop the training before it gets worse, as he must know about his condition.”

“Haa...” Sylvia sighed and looked down at him.

“Raon, can you really promise? You need to tell me if there’s something wrong with your body, okay?”

“Okay.” Raon nodded calmly.

“I’ll trust you this one time.”

“Thank you.”

“But I can’t just do nothing.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll go to exercise hall 5. I should at least notify them.”

Then she ran out of the room right away.

“Mr. Raon.”

As soon as Sylvia left, Helen kneeled down and looked into his eyes.

“Don’t ever, ever push yourself! You must give up immediately if it gets hard, all right?”

“Okay. How many times are you going to repeat yourself?”

“I can repeat this tens and thousands of times. Remember that you’re weaker than other kids, and put aside your ego.”

“Okay.”

He also nodded. Helen was as skeptical as Sylvia.

I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’ll give up.

He had no intention of stopping even if his lungs exploded and killed him.

Because the more challenging it was, the higher the Ring of Fire would advance, strengthening his body and mind.

***

Raon headed to the small garden behind the annex.

“This place feels empty after visiting the main building.”

The main residence had many amenities, including spacious exercise halls and modern gardens, while the annex had only a small garden and a lake.

Although the area was too small for him to train there without getting caught by Sylvia, it had a pleasant atmosphere.

Raon perched on a chair in the garden.

This training will be pretty intense.

Just as Sylvia and Helen worried, his body was nowhere close to being healthy.

There were chills remaining in the mana circuit, his development was slow, and he didn’t have much energy.

Since the training of the House of Sieghart was notorious for being challenging, even the basic training will be quite difficult.

However, he had experienced even worse hardships in his past life. He wouldn’t break down as long as he had that memory.

This is the real beginning.

If learning the Ring of Fire after being born was the foundation, the training scheduled for the next month was the framework construction.

He had to perform well in order to build a tall building for the future.

“I’ll show them.”

He was determined to silence anyone who had made fun of him by making greater achievements than any of the direct family members.

And that bastard, Derus Robert.

Although his plans for revenge might be delayed slightly due to his current circumstances, his ultimate target was Derus Robert.

He was not going to stop until the day he took off his mask and beheaded him.

“Haa...”

Raon absorbed mana, closing his eyes, in front of the golden sun setting behind the western mountains.

The rings of fire spinning around his heart began to rotate vigorously.