The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 105

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 105

Towering spires pierced the sky, encircled by gray stone walls. Though modest in height, the fortifications conveyed an impression of formidable strength through their thickness, while the refined structures rising above them radiated an air of elegance.

This city-state of Camelrun was a harmonious blend of gravitas and splendor.

Before the colossal gates at the center of Camelrun’s walls, two young men sat mounted upon their horses.

“Ugh, I never imagined horseback riding could be this exhausting.”

Dorian twisted his expression in discomfort.

“My back, my legs, my neck—there isn’t a part of me that doesn’t ache.”

“The beginning is always difficult. You’ve adapted now, so you should be fine.”

I chuckled softly and nodded in acknowledgment.

‘Still, he’s adapted remarkably quickly.’

For someone riding a horse for the first time, Dorian had acclimated with impressive speed. Thanks to his progress, we had conquered a route I’d expected to take three weeks in merely two.

“But when did you learn to ride, sir? There were no horses at the Annex Building.”

“Long ago.”

As for horses, I had ridden them countless times in my previous life, so aside from acclimating my body to the saddle, there was nothing difficult about it.

“You really can do anything, can’t you?”

Dorian approached with a smirk, his trembling finally subsiding now that combat wasn’t imminent.

“We’ll have an easy time getting in today. The security level is low.”

“I see.”

I nodded as I observed the two guards stationed before the city gates. Camelrun’s security level fluctuated depending on circumstances, and right now it was at its lowest.

Dorian and I had no difficulty entering Camelrun using the mercenary badges Rimer had provided.

The streets and intersections were teeming with people. Some were tourists, but most appeared to be merchants and buyers conducting business.

I surveyed the Camelrun marketplace and shops after such a long absence. Though I searched for something noteworthy, most stalls offered only daily necessities and provisions—nothing that caught my eye.

‘I’ll need to go deeper.’

Even in my past life, I’d rarely purchased anything in this legitimate district. To find what I truly needed, I would have to venture into the underground.

“Are you planning to go below?”

Dorian asked, as if he’d read my thoughts.

“Below? You knew about the Black Market?”

Beneath the commercial city of Camelrun lay a Black Market where items difficult to sell in daylight or expensive goods exchanged hands.

It wasn’t exactly a profound secret, but I hadn’t expected Dorian to know about the Black Market.

“Of course.”

“How?”

“Despite appearances, I am descended from a merchant house. Such information comes naturally to me.”

Dorian pointed at himself with a finger and smirked. I had suspected he came from merchant stock, but hearing it confirmed was a first.

‘I wandered needlessly then.’

My plan had been to pretend to sightsee casually before dropping Dorian off at the Dormitory, but if he already knew about the Black Market, there was no need for that pretense.

“Then let’s go.”

“Eh? Young master, do you know a passage as well?”

“Yes. I’ve heard of one.”

I nodded and headed toward the Meat Market on the right side of the city.

I cut across the stalls reeking of blood and entered a Dining Hall at the market’s edge. In stark contrast to the market’s stench, the rich aroma of freshly grilled meat wafted through the air.

“Whole roasted pork. Crispy fried skin, tender meat with sauce poured over it. Two glasses of dark ale, chilled.”

I ordered from the Restaurant Staff at the entrance—dishes I wouldn’t normally request.

“…Ah!”

She tilted her head in confusion before something occurred to her, and she clapped her palm against the table.

“This way, please.”

The Restaurant Staff smiled faintly and guided us into a private room. A round table large enough to seat five people without crowding stood in the center.

She carefully closed the door and pressed a section of the wall.

The floor trembled ever so slightly as the central table rose, revealing a staircase that descended into the depths below.

“I was quite startled when you used the password from my grandmother’s time. Did you learn it from someone who retired long ago?”

“Yes.”

Raon nodded. This password was one I had used in my past life. No matter how exposed the Black Market was to the masses, there was no way the same password would remain in use for ten years.

However, there was another reason I had mentioned that password from back then.

“Your grandmother…”

“She passed away ten years ago.”

Perhaps because a decade had elapsed, the Restaurant Staff’s response was matter-of-fact.

“I see.”

That elderly woman was the Black Market guide who would say my eyes looked dead whenever she saw me in my past life, and would give me food one piece at a time.

I had come curious about what she would say seeing me now, but it ended up being regrettable. A bitter taste filled my mouth.

‘I hope she went peacefully.’

Raon closed his eyes for a moment and offered a prayer for her soul.

“The Black Market changes its password every two years even without any special circumstances. Fortunately, I still remember the old passwords—if it had been someone else, there would have been no way in.”

The Restaurant Staff recited a few of the old passwords and laughed.

“I’m letting you in because you’re handsome.”

“But I’m covering my face.”

Raon pointed to the hood he had pulled down low.

“A handsome person shows their true nature even when hidden.”

Then her gaze shifted toward Dorian, her expression ambiguous.

“Anyway, the current password is stir-fried chicken without red peppers and onions, paired with three glasses of well-aged Kitten wine.”

“Understood.”

“Then have a good shopping experience.”

“Thank you.”

The Restaurant Staff told me to remember the password well before closing the door and leaving.

“This is why you need to be good-looking.”

Dorian rubbed his cheeks vigorously and frowned.

“But where did you hear about this place?”

“Instructor Rimer.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Upon hearing Rimer’s name, Dorian nodded in understanding.

“Let’s head down.”

“Yes.”

Raon descended the stairs first. Using the darkness as a lantern, I slowly made my way down for about two minutes before the stairs ended and a gray curtain-like obstruction appeared.

Whoosh!

As I swept the curtain aside, the full vista of the Black Market revealed itself.

“I can’t get used to it. It’s much cleaner than upstairs.”

“Definitely.”

Raon nodded. The Black Market was a far more refined and elegant space than the marketplace in the Annex Building.

It resembled the kind of upscale jewelry boutique that noblewomen frequented.

A single building with an elegant, ceramic-like form stood at the center, surrounded by shops radiating brilliant light.

The structure in the middle housed the Auction House and the Gambling House, while the surrounding shops belonged to black market merchants who had obtained sales permits.

“Where would you like to start?”

“Let’s check the auction items first.”

Though the auction wouldn’t begin for some time yet, I entered the Auction House first in case there might be something I needed.

I purchased a catalog and scanned through the items scheduled for today’s auction. My eyes halted abruptly at one entry in the middle of the list.

‘Found it.’

Upon spotting an auction item called Black Butterfly, I clenched my fist. I’d stopped by on the off chance, and fortunately, the very thing I’d been searching for was here.

‘In two days, then.’

The Black Butterfly would go up for auction the day after tomorrow.

‘The price range is ten to twenty gold coins.’

It wasn’t cheap, but for a Black Market auction item, the price was quite reasonable.

‘I’m a bit short on funds.’

Despite earning a substantial reward for my accomplishments in the two missions, it fell considerably short of what I needed to win the bid for Black Butterfly.

-Short on funds? My vessel reduced to beggary? How lamentable.

Wrath rose with a yawn, clicking his tongue in disdain.

‘Quiet.’

I gazed at the Casino adjacent to the Auction House, my lips curling with anticipation. It seemed I would need to earn some coin there.

“Eh? Young Master, you’re going to the Casino? You can’t!”

Dorian, who had been drooling over the catalog, shook his head vigorously.

“Why?”

“That place is filled only with gambling professionals! Even the kingdom’s most notorious gamblers end up stripped bare and cast out! If you go there, we’ll lose every coin we have left!”

“Ah, I know. But it’s fine.”

I patted Dorian’s shoulder reassuringly as he blocked my path.

‘It was my primary source of income in my past life.’

I smirked and twirled the flower bracelet containing Wrath.

This time, I also have a secret weapon.

*

*

*

In my previous life, when I lived as the assassin Raon and killed a target, there were no rewards waiting for me upon my return. I was simply given a few days of rest, or in severe cases, sent directly on the next assassination without any respite.

The Robert Family never regarded assassins as human beings, so they provided only the bare minimum of funds necessary for each mission. Enough to minimize their losses if I died.

While under their brainwashing, I didn’t realize how twisted this was, but after breaking free, I understood just how vile those Robert bastards truly were.

‘That’s why I saved money whenever I had the chance.’

Whenever I was granted leave, I would go to the Gambling House, earn money, and hide it in the Annex Building. It’s difficult to retrieve now due to the distance, but I plan to retrieve it when the opportunity arises.

‘So then.’

I led the terrified Dorian through the Gambling House, scanning the tables. Spotting a familiar game, I headed toward the right table.

At the table sat a slender young woman in a dress and an elderly gentleman in a neat uniform. Behind them stood men who appeared to be bodyguards, their hands clasped behind their backs.

‘This should work.’

I observed the game for ten rounds before taking a seat at the table. The current game involved guessing the number on dice shaken inside a metal cup.

“Ah, I should have gone downstairs. Does the Casino not manage the water level these days?”

A woman in a black dress wearing a fox mask glanced over and furrowed her brow.

“Gambling knows no age, no royalty, no beggars. Welcome.”

The Elderly Gentleman, in contrast, smiled broadly and nodded slightly.

Raon exchanged greetings only with the Elderly Gentleman before observing the game. I heard the woman click her tongue, but paid it no mind.

“Hmm….”

The Dealer, however, flinched at the woman’s reaction. That fox-masked woman seemed to come from quite a prominent household.

“Ugh, the atmosphere….”

Dorian felt the chill emanating from the table and swallowed hard.

“Then I shall begin.”

The Dealer displayed the metal cup and dice to the three of them, then placed the dice inside the cup and began shaking it. His hands were swift—his wrists and shoulders moved in unison, making the cup nearly invisible.

He twirled the cup with the grace of a sword dance and set it down on the table. He withdrew his hand, signaling them to place their bets.

“Two.”

“I’ll go with four.”

The woman and the Elderly Gentleman examined the cup and pushed their chips forward onto the table.

“…3.”

I called out the number 3 and wagered half of my chips.

“I’ll go with 5.”

The Dealer confirmed everyone’s numbers and slowly opened the cup.

“The dice show 3. Congratulations.”

The Dealer smiled faintly and returned double the chips I had wagered.

“Tsk, your luck is impressive.”

The woman clicked her tongue and cast a sidelong glance.

“I lost twenty gold coins today, but you’re off to a promising start.”

The Elderly Gentleman nodded as if offering his congratulations.

“Let’s begin the next round.”

The Dealer placed the dice back into the cup and shook it. He spun it faster and more briskly than before, then set it down on the table with a crisp, satisfying sound.

“3.”

“This time, I’ll go with 5.”

“1.”

The moment I called out 1, the Dealer’s fingers trembled slightly.

“I’ll take 4.”

The Dealer slowly lifted the cup. The die facing upward showed a single dot.

“It’s 1. Congratulations.”

The Dealer returned double the chips he had wagered.

“What the—”

“Oh, you’ve actually got some skill!”

The woman now turned her head and glared at me openly, while the Elderly Gentleman’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Whoa! Two wins in a row?”

Dorian jumped up in shock and hurried over to my side.

“Young master. We need to leave. This is 100% them going easy on a rookie. Those are con artists! Con artists! If we keep going, they’ll strip you down to your underwear!”

“Yeah, I know. But let me try just a bit more.”

Raon smiled faintly and pushed all his chips into the betting circle.

“Good grief.”

Dorian blinked hard and let out a long sigh.

“Hmph. Foolish indeed.”

“Hmm.”

The woman in the dress scoffed, while the Elderly Gentleman nodded slowly.

All three of them believed the Dealer was taking it easy on Raon, and now it was time for him to reveal his true skill.

But then.

After the third hand, the fourth, and the fifth, a pile of chips had accumulated before Raon—so high it reached his chest.

“What, what is this! What have you done!”

“No, how is this even possible…?”

The woman in the dress and the Elderly Gentleman stared at Raon’s chips with their mouths agape.

“Young master! Gulp.”

Dorian, foaming at the mouth, tapped Raon’s shoulder urgently, urging him to flee.

“My luck is running hot today.”

I swept my fingers across the chips with a faint smile.

-Wait, how are you doing this! What’s the method!

‘Sound.’

-Sound?

‘Each corner of the die wears differently, so the sound when it hits the cup varies. I predict the die’s result by discerning those differences.’

It was a gambling technique that maximized auditory perception and used the collision sounds between die and cup to determine the outcome.

Most people knew of it but couldn’t execute it, yet with my heightened senses, it wasn’t particularly difficult.

-You determined the die’s result through such insane means?

Wrath exhaled sharply. The very act of discerning subtle sound differences and committing them to memory was astounding.

-Ah, so the reason you only watched this gambling game was….

‘Right. To understand the sounds.’

-You truly are a swindler! Now I understand why I’ve been deceived so many times!

‘Not a swindler. I’m winning through skill.’

I chuckled softly and gathered the chips.

“That’s all for me. Thank you for the game.”

I waved to the Elderly Gentleman and the Restaurant Staff, then stood up.

-Already?

‘If I keep winning at the same table, someone might pick a fight.’

I surveyed the gambling tables and sat down at a poker game.

-Poker? Are you planning to cheat here too?

‘No. I don’t cheat.’

My eyes gleamed as I watched the cards being dealt.

-What?

‘It’s your turn this time. Go take a look at everyone’s cards and come back.’

-You absolute madman!

Wrath burst from the bracelet, radiating a terrifying aura.

-I am the Lord of the Demon Realm! How dare a mere human give me orders! And to look at gambling cards no less!

‘No.’

I remained serene even as the frigid energy filled the space around me, shaking my head calmly.

‘A deal.’

-A deal?

‘That’s right. If you help me, I’ll eat whatever food you want from this place.’

-You’re absolutely insane! Though I am renowned as a connoisseur, I would never accept such a proposition….

‘By the way, there was a pearl ice cream shop earlier. They’ve released new products too.’

Wrath paused for a moment.

-Pointless! Pearl ice cream is something I can easily do without….

‘Two.’

-S-silence! I am a lord of the Demon Realm, I would never….

‘Three.’

-….

‘Four pearl ice creams plus any food you desire.’

Wrath fell silent. I sensed it was time to close the deal.

-Where should I look?

Four pearl ice creams and one dish.

Manipulating a lord of the Demon Realm proved remarkably simple.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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