Raon left the annex for the first time in Sylvia’s arms and headed to Sieghardt’s main building.
‘Is that the main building?’
The main building can be seen in the distance. The height was just about eye level with the sky, and the width was such that even from this far away, it was impossible to capture it all at a glance.
It’s a size that wouldn’t be strange if called a castle, not a house.
‘Befitting the ruler of the North.’
Even though Sieghart was a single family, it possessed more territory and military power than a kingdom. He was not one of the six emperors for nothing.
‘You mean everyone lives there?’
Helen told me that, except for Sylvia and herself, all of her immediate relatives live around the main building, Gajujeon.
There may be a reason why Sylvia lives in a separate annex, but that was not told.
‘It’s a discriminant… .’
As Raon looked at the Gajujeon Hall erected in the center of the main building, he thought about the recognition ceremony held today.
‘They say they do everything.’
It is said that a child’s skull, which is open towards the sky, begins to close at the age of 4, and from that moment on, the child’s talent for mana does not change.
The identification ceremony held today is an event that gathers children with closed skulls and determines the extent of their talent for mana.
‘I don’t care what happens.’
Even if your current talent is low, the ‘Ring of Fire’ will raise your body and mana sensitivity to the highest level. Things like natural talent had nothing to do with him.
“Raon.”
As the ring of fire was slowly rotating, Sylvia slightly lifted herself up. She looked to the side, and before she knew it, she had arrived in front of the main building.
“Mom, it doesn’t matter what Raon does. “She just needs to grow up healthy.”
“huh. okay.”
He smiled brightly like a child who didn’t know anything.
“Of course my son is the cutest!”
She started rubbing her face against his cheek again. If this happens, you won’t be able to move for 5 minutes.
“Hmm, Sylvia.”
“Oh sorry!”
Sylvia came to her senses when Helen cleared her throat. I was really glad we came together.
“Let’s go in. “I guess it’s a little late.”
“yes.”
She entered the Gajujeon while holding herself.
‘hmm.’
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the people inside Gajujeon.
‘The standard is high.’
Perhaps because the main building was also called Gajujeon, there was not a single ordinary person inside the building. Not only the warriors, but also the servants and maids’ eyes were filled with concentration.
“Because it will arrive soon. “Just be patient.”
“huh.”
Raon walked down the central hallway on the first floor with Sylvia. At the end of it stood an iron gate so large that a giant could enter and exit. This was the entrance to the throne room where the recognition ceremony was held today.
“Sylvia Sieghardt, Laon Sieghardt, Helen Carvin. Has confirmed.”
The warrior guarding the throne room twisted his leg and opened the door.
Good!
Another world opened with a heavy sound like a piece of iron being twisted.
Brilliant light of five colors poured down from the ceiling, and priceless ornaments were lined up on the golden walls.
This place, which was astounding as it was just looking at it, was the throne room where you could meet Sieghardt’s matriarch Glenn.
Coo!
With the sound of the door closing, the eyes of the people in the room were focused on Raon like arrows.
“Sylvia? “Then is that child Sylvia’s?”
“What kind of child’s face is that… .”
“Blonde eyes.”
“You’re small. “I heard he was sick. Was it true?”
“I guess that’s because I inherited the blood of a loser.”
“You should call me a loser, not a loser.”
People who met for the first time showed interest in Raon. Of course, it wasn’t a good look.
With a young body. No, because Raon was young, he could feel the fishy emotions they were giving off.
“I can’t believe a guy like that even came into the throne room.”
“Is there a need to conduct a identification ceremony even for the children of losers?”
“Iknow, right. “It’s low-level behavior.”
I don’t know what was a failure or what was a failure, but they were blatantly criticizing Sylvia and themselves.
‘hmm… .’
Raon wiggled his fist. He didn’t mind people calling him small, but hearing Sylvia swear at him made him feel uncomfortable.
“are you okay. Raon. “I’m just looking at my mom.”
Even though she was called a loser and a runaway, she smiled at herself.
‘As expected, this person is strong.’
Sylvia was a strong-hearted person. Her heaving heart sank at the sound of her sweet voice.
‘Are they direct descendants?’
Raon’s eyes, as he regained his composure and scanned the interior of the throne room, stopped on the platform.
Seven people sitting on red chairs.
They were looking down with an aura that was of a different order from the people below them.
‘It’s a different level.’
If the subordinates below were foxes and wolves, the direct descendants above the stage exuded an enormous presence like dragons that had already ascended to the sky.
They didn’t open their mouths, but they looked down at themselves and Sylvia with eyes that looked like they were looking at trash.
‘Are they all just enemies?’
When you think of the bean flour family, Sylvia is not at the top of the podium, but at the bottom. It also went to the end.
‘Strange.’
I have many doubts.
Generally, there is an insurmountable wall between the direct and collateral lines of a family. Even if it is a direct relative, it is strange for a collateral relative to openly argue.
In addition, Sylvia lived alone and could not go up to the podium. Even though he was her immediate descendant, it was clear that she was discriminated against for some reason.
‘What is the reason?’
A fugitive or a loser may have been defeated in sparring or battle.
Coo!
As Sylvia was thinking about why she was being discriminated against, the warriors standing in front of the throne room door struck the floor with the spears they were holding.
“The proper master of Sieghart, who reigns in the North. “Matriarch Glenn Sieghart enters!”
With those words, the huge iron door of the throne room opened wide.
Gooooo!
Glenn Sieghardt appeared with an intimidating energy wave that seemed to make the air tremble.
Just by appearing, gravity becomes heavier and the heart tightens. A feeling of tension that took my breath away ran down my spine.
“Meet the matriarch!”
The dragons that were looking down from the top of the platform and the wolves that were baring their teeth from below also knelt down at the same time.
Step by step.
Those footsteps.
Glenn Sieghardt entered with the same hard footsteps I heard five years ago. She sat on a golden throne in the center of the platform, her absolute presence overwhelming the entire throne room.
“Begin.”
He snapped his fingers, and a sword shot out in the center of the throne room. It was a huge stone sword that seemed too heavy for a giant to lift.
‘Is that the sword of discrimination?’
That sword is an item from 1,000 years ago, and it is said that if you hold it in your hand, you can determine a person’s mana talent.
The purpose of today’s judging ceremony was to judge children’s talents using the stone sword’s abilities.
“First Burren Sieghardt.”
At the host’s words, a blue-haired boy who looked to be about six years old and was sitting in the second row of the podium stood up.
“Please place your hand on the sword.”
As he went down to the podium, the host pointed to a stone sword. Burren nodded his head and placed his hand on his stone sword.
Ugh!
The green light that bloomed from Burren’s fingertips covered the entire stone sword, and a thick wind bloomed near the tip of the sword.
“Oh oh!”
“It’s the wind! “It’s the wind!”
“Seeing the entire sword glowing, the quality of mana is top-notch!”
“As expected, it is a talent worthy of Karun’s self-control!”
“Congratulations!”
The collaterals standing below the podium applauded and cheered the middle-aged man sitting in front of Buren.
“It is a good attribute that suits a prosecutor well. “From now on, just focus on feeling the wind.”
“All right!”
When Glenn nodded, Burren returned to his seat, smiling as brightly as a sunflower facing the sun.
“Runan Slyon of the next vassal family, Slyon.”
“yes.”
The silver-haired girl sitting on the right end of the podium quietly stood up.
‘Is it vassal Slion?’
Like the nobles who followed the king, the vassal families were the famous families of the north who followed Sieghart.
Since Slyon was the representative of the vassal family, it seems that he was on the podium like his immediate descendants.
Ugh.
A girl named Runan approached the stone sword with calm eyes and raised her hand.
Chiiing!
When her hand touched the stone sword, a silver light that seemed to melt the moon rose from the tip of the blunt blade.
The surging light was not enough to fill the blade of the sword, reaching up to the swordsman and creating silver frost all over the sword.
“Frost? “That’s a whole sword!”
“Is it the same level of talent as Burren? .”
“It’s not called Slion for nothing.”
“Another genius has appeared in the Slion family.”
However, unlike when it was abandoned, the cheers and applause were not loud. There seemed to be a rivalry between the vassal family and the collateral lineage.
“You have good attributes. “If you sharpen it like a blade, you will be able to pierce any energy.”
Glenn Sieghardt also nodded to Runan.
“thank you.”
Runaan nodded without much change in expression and jumped up like a cat to return to her seat.
Since then, two direct descendants and numerous collateral and vassal children have tried their hand at stone swords, but no one has the talent of Burren and Runan.
‘I understand now.’
Raon snapped his fingers. By looking at other people’s judgments, he was able to figure out what was good and what was bad.
‘The purity of mana depends on how far the light of the blade extends, and the properties of mana appear at the tip of the sword.’
In cases where the quality of mana was excellent, like Runaan or Burren, the entire sword flashed, and mana of special properties seemed to be known through the sword soldier.
“Lastly, Raon Sieghardt. Please come forward.”
“let’s go. “Raon.”
“huh.”
When I nodded, Sylvia smiled sweetly and lifted herself up.
“Did you see what other friends did? “You can do the same.”
Sylvia put herself down in front of the stone sword and stretched out her hand as if to demonstrate.
“huh.”
After answering briefly, he looked at the stone sword.
‘It won’t come out well.’
Although the ring of fire became 2-star, the coldness of the mana circuit remained to a frightening extent.
Considering his current physical condition, he will not be able to show off as outstandingly as other children.
“Whoa.”
I slowly exhaled and stretched out my hand towards the stone sword.
Duwoong.
When my hand touched the stone sword, my heart trembled like a pond where a pebble was dropped. The small heartbeat went beyond his chest and resonated throughout his body.
‘what?’
As I was about to pull my hand away from that strange sensation, a bright flash appeared before my eyes.
I see a blond man wearing silver armor.
In front of him, countless monsters were coming in waves.
What is this… .
Even though it was clearly an illusion, the sensation was so vivid that cold sweat ran down my forehead.
While I couldn’t breathe properly and my hands were shaking, the man raised his sword.
Golden flames burned above the scorchingly beautiful blade.
He struck down his sword engulfed in flames like a thunderbolt.
That moment.
Golden flames rose above the earth and covered the world.
When I closed my eyes and opened them to avoid the golden flames that filled my entire field of vision, the world changed again and a message appeared before my eyes.
[You have acquired the Ring of Fire (2 stars).]
[??? was not acquired.]
[The achievements are not enough.]
When I tilted my head to see an unknown message, light began to erupt from the stone sword.
Ugh.
The light that was rising vigorously lost its strength and stopped at the center of the sword body.
He had no special abilities or high purity like other people. It was a talent that fell far short of a collateral level, let alone a direct level.
“Is it over already?”
“You can’t even get halfway?”
“Hahaha! “Is this your first time seeing something written like that?”
“It’s white, with poor mana quality and no abilities.”
“There’s nothing to see except the appearance.”
“As expected, it seems that even the god of war does not take care of the children of fugitives.”
The direct lineage who watched the discrimination frowned as if it was pitiful, and the collateral lineage laughed openly.
“… … .”
Glenn, who had been giving brief advice to his immediate and collateral relatives, also did not open his mouth.
“are you okay. Raon. good job.”
Sylvia hugged her with her usual smile, and before she knew it, Helen came closer to her, biting her lip and covering her ears.
“after… .”
Raon let out a low breath.
I was used to being ignored. Since they were raised and brainwashed as dogs, not humans, they have long since abandoned their emotions. I could accept as much criticism and insults as I wanted.
The body that leaves after getting only what it can get anyway. I tried not to worry about what happened here.
Even though Sylvia and the maids treated her like real family, her feelings did not change.
But now I feel strangely calm.
When I saw the people laughing not only at me but also at Sylvia and Helen, my heart throbbed as if I had been shocked.
‘good night.’
Raon gently bit his molars. Sylvia and her maids were the first people to treat her as a human being.
They decided to show their immediate and collateral members who laughed at them how insignificant their natural talent was.
“I’ve participated in the discrimination ceremony every time, but this is the first time I’ve seen it at that level.”
“Is this really Sieghardt?”
“All the talent that Sylvia had was gone. “There’s nothing to see about her except her blond red eyes, just like the matriarch.”
I remembered all the faces of those who arbitrarily said that their mouths were open.
“stop.”
The entire throne room froze at Glenn’s cold words.
“The identification ceremony is over. “Let’s all get out.”
“Matriarch?”
“Do I have to say that again?”
“Everyone disperse.”
As Glenn’s second son, Karun Sieghardt, stood up, the others also glanced at him and left the throne room. Of course, while muttering Raon and Sylvia’s curses inaudibly.
Before five minutes had passed, the only people left in the throne room were the room’s master, Glenn Sieghardt, and his chief butler, Roen.
“I guess it can’t be helped.”
Glenn nodded calmly as he looked at the sword of discrimination standing in the center.
“Matriarch… .”
It was when Roen tried to approach him.
Pajik!
The light rising from the bottom of the sword of discrimination went beyond the blade and rose to the tip of the sword.
Hwaaaah!
The light was a deep golden color like the sun, and a blazing fire burned at the tip of the sword.
“Golden flames?”
For the first time, a storm appeared in Glenn’s eyes.