At Spelten’s sudden congratulatory greeting, Karlin made a puzzled face.
Why the congratulations all of a sudden……?
No proper conversation had been exchanged.
So Karlin couldn’t understand why a congratulatory greeting had come out.
It wasn’t just Karlin who didn’t understand.
Darian and Roker, who followed in, were the same.
However, Spelten didn’t resolve the three’s puzzlement.
To begin with, he wasn’t even paying attention to the three.
Currently, Spelten’s attention was solely on Gaon.
Spelten smiled as brightly as possible and said to Gaon.
“Now we don’t need to worry about the demon world!”
Gaon smiled brightly at Spelten’s words and answered.
“That’s right.”
As Spelten said, Gaon was confident.
Confident he could drive out the demon world alone.
It had been impossible at the 8th Circle, but now, having entered the 9th Circle and growing stronger day by day, it was possible.
It would just take some time.
“But who are those two?”
Next, Gaon looked at Darian and Roker and asked.
Then Spelten made an ‘ah’ face and answered.
“My eldest son and eldest grandson. Darian, Roker. Greet Lord Gaon.”
At Spelten’s words, Darian and Roker stepped forward.
“Darian Schutaren greets Lord Gaon.”
“Roker Schutaren greets Lord Gaon.”
***
The grand conference room in the Schutaren Sword Family’s 13th Mansion.
After Spelten declared a break.
“You seem to have deepened your aura…….”
“Haha, you noticed. I gained a great realization this time. So…….”
“So? You want a ranking match?”
“Hahat, please guide me.”
Those remaining in the grand conference room were gathered in groups of three or five, chatting.
“Did you get the item I requested back then?”
“It’s coming in a week.”
“Thanks, I won’t forget and will surely repay you.”
“No need! Think of it as repayment for the help you gave before!”
Right then.
Creak—
The door opened, and everyone turned their heads.
Karlin, Darian, and Roker, who had left with Spelten, were entering.
Just the three.
Spelten, who had left with them, was nowhere to be seen.
And Karlin, Darian, and Roker headed to their respective seats under everyone’s gazes.
As soon as they arrived at their seats, Darian and Roker closed their eyes with complex, subtle faces.
And unlike Darian and Roker, Karlin grinned.
Those remaining in the grand conference room all looked at the three with faces full of curiosity.
That was it.
The three’s statuses were very high in the family.
They couldn’t ask what happened.
Of course, not everyone was like that.
Those sitting near Karlin, who weren’t intimidated by the three’s statuses—the family elders and ‘Sword Lords’—asked Karlin.
[What happened?]
[Why are Darian and Roker like that?]
[Did something happen with the succession?]
[Why isn’t the head back?]
Karlin, who had been grinning, slightly furrowed his brow at the ceaseless voices of the Sword Lords ringing in his head.
And he said outright to the Sword Lords.
“My head hurts. You’ll find out soon, so everyone wait a bit.”
It wasn’t a word to evade the situation.
Spelten would return soon, and everyone would find out.
And even if Spelten didn’t come, it wasn’t for Karlin to say.
How could he speak about something related to Gaon?
“……”
“……”
The Sword Lords let out low groans.
And at the Sword Lords’ reactions, Karlin grinned again and thought.
I wonder what reactions they’ll show.
The Sword Lords had all met Gaon before.
So he was curious.
What reactions the Sword Lords would show the moment they faced Gaon.
But…….
At a sudden thought, Karlin tilted his head.
Why did Brother act like that?
Spelten had become strange the moment he faced Gaon.
He stared blankly at Gaon, entranced.
It didn’t seem because of joy.
What on earth was the reason?
I need to ask later.
“Lord Gaon, I have a request, may I say it……?”
Spelten asked cautiously.
“What is it?”
“Currently, the family’s blood relatives and vassals are gathered in the grand conference room.”
“Ah.”
Gaon let out an exclamation as if he knew and nodded.
He had been curious about the place where numerous intense auras were gathered.
But hearing the story, it seemed to be the grand conference room.
“Most of the blood relatives and vassals don’t know Lord Gaon well.”
Spelten continued with a bitter face.
“Could you perhaps show your power once in the grand conference room?”
“……The reason?”
“I’m worried. While I’m here, there won’t be issues, but in the future, they might dare to make mistakes toward Lord Gaon.”
Spelten had no intention of being at odds with Gaon.
Rather, he wanted to maintain a good relationship with Gaon.
But if Spelten stepped back from the front line and those who didn’t know Gaon well led the family?
Of course, Darian and Roker had seen Gaon directly.
And they must have realized.
That they must not become enemies.
That they must maintain a good relationship.
However, Darian and Roker were different from Spelten.
Spelten dominated the family with overwhelming power.
But unfortunately, Darian and Roker’s levels weren’t to that extent.
They were strong for their age, but that was it.
Unlike Spelten, there would be those who put brakes on them.
But if they experienced Gaon’s power?
At least until Roker’s generation, there wouldn’t be issues.
“Then sure.”
Gaon readily accepted.
Honestly, Gaon also wanted to continue a good relationship with the Schutaren Sword Family.
Because they had a deep connection.
Moreover, thinking of after driving out the demon world, the Schutaren Sword Family’s power was needed.
Naturally, not just referring to the Schutaren Sword Family’s physical ‘power’.
Their ‘influence’ spread across the continent was needed.
“Thank you!”
Spelten smiled broadly and expressed thanks.
And next, glancing at Gaon, he opened his mouth.
“And I have one more thing I’d like to request.”
Originally, there was one request.
But the moment he faced Gaon, one more arose.
“What is it?”
“Could you perhaps guide me once?”
“Sparring?”
“Yes.”
Spelten answered Gaon’s question and swallowed.
Currently, Spelten was lost.
He was in a dead-end situation, not knowing how to proceed.
But the moment he faced Gaon, he instinctively felt it.
That Gaon could show him the way.
That this was a chance to break through the current dead end.
“Sure.”
Gaon answered with a bright smile.
“I also have something I want to check anyway.”
Spelten was a Grand Master, the strongest being Gaon had met since arriving in the future.
Gaon was curious.
Whether his swordsmanship would work on a Grand Master.
And how much a Grand Master could withstand his magic.
“Thank you!”
Spelten smiled broadly once more and expressed thanks.
He had worried if Gaon might refuse, but he readily accepted, so his mind eased.
“Now, I have something I’m curious about…….”
“Ask away!”
“You had an agreement with the Eon Kingdom.”
“……With the Eon Kingdom? Our family?”
Spelten asked back with a puzzled face.
And at Spelten’s reaction, Gaon felt relieved.
He didn’t know about the existence of the agreement itself.
In other words, it wouldn’t be an important agreement.
If it were important, Spelten wouldn’t be unaware.
“I’ll look into it. I’m sorry for causing you concern.”
Spelten apologized.
“No, no need to apologize. And…….”
Gaon trailed off.
There was one more question.
And the second question was more important than the first.
Sensing something unusual from Gaon’s reaction, Spelten focused on Gaon.
And Gaon continued.
“If there are traitors in the family, what do you plan to do?”
“……!”
Spelten’s eyes flashed at Gaon’s words.
And with a skeptical face, he opened his mouth.
“By traitors, do you mean betraying humanity, not the family?”
“Yes.”
“I plan to handle them according to family law without exception.”
“……”
Gaon let out a low groan.
And at Gaon’s reaction, Spelten said.
“So there are traitors in the family. And betraying humanity at that.”
“……Yes, there’s a force called Abyss.”
“……!”
Spelten made a surprised face.
“You know Abyss?”
“Yes, it’s one of the forces we’re tracking. We don’t know much because information is hard to obtain, though.”
“Oh!”
Gaon exclaimed in admiration.
Their intelligence is indeed excellent.
There weren’t none who had noticed Abyss’s existence.
Graxios, for one, had noticed Abyss’s existence.
But it was just noticing—they didn’t know the name ‘Abyss’.
It was truly befitting the Schutaren Sword Family.
Gaon said to Spelten.
“They use a restriction. I can recognize the restriction.”
“……!”
Spelten made a surprised face again at Gaon’s words.
And with an earnest face, continued.
“Could I ask you to check when you show your power in the grand conference room?”
“Of course, but the handling…….”
“Could you leave it to us? We’ll handle it thoroughly without exception. Even if it’s my child.”
“Understood.”
He had planned to leave it anyway.
Since they were people of the Schutaren Sword Family, even if Abyss.
“Then shall we go right away? Sparring after everything’s done.”
“Yes, understood.”
Finishing the conversation, the two stood up.
And left the VIP room.
The destination was the 13th Mansion.
Not long after, arriving at the 13th Mansion, Spelten opened the door.
And stepped aside.
Gaon passed Spelten and entered.
And Spelten followed behind.
Gaon headed straight to the center of the grand conference room.
Was it because of his bold stride?
Or because he came with Spelten?
All gazes focused on Gaon.
And arriving at the center, Gaon scanned everyone seated in the grand conference room.
Fewer than I thought.
Should he say fortunately?
Those with restrictions weren’t many.
Especially among the ‘Sword Lords’, the position next to the head, not a single one.
Gaon started conveying the ones allied with Abyss to Spelten via message magic.
Identifying their statuses wasn’t hard.
There were nameplates with positions in front of their seats.
[The head of the 7th War Sword Division, the head of the 8th Guardian Sword Division…….]
[That’s all.]
Soon, the check ended.
[Thank you.]
And Spelten expressed thanks.
Sorrow filled Spelten’s voice as he thanked.
Next, Gaon revealed the power he had been concealing.
Since the Abyss check was done, now it was time to show his power.
Of course, he didn’t release all his power.
If he released full power, many would collapse.
But he didn’t give no pressure at all.
He had to give some pressure.
Gaon adjusted the pressure to each individual’s level.
“Gasp!”
“Urk!”
Except for Spelten and Karlin, Darian, Roker whom he had met earlier, everyone let out groans or staggered under the pressure.
And the puzzlement that filled the gazes looking at Gaon disappeared, replaced by full dismay.
Next, Spelten shouted with a stern face.
“This is Lord Gaon Varta, the close friend of the 12th head, Lord Rakid. Everyone, show respect.”