The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 351

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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 351

After resting for a day in Motrun City, Raon and Dorian set out toward Rokan, a major city in the Southwest Region where the Sepia Trading Company was located.

Since Motrun City was situated in a remote location, they found themselves sleeping under the stars from the first day, settling on undulating Low Hills that rolled like waves.

I dug into the earth to create a makeshift hearth and prepared garlic chicken stew.
From the milky broth rose a sweet and tender aroma that made my mouth water involuntarily.

-Taste! Let me taste it first!

Wrath waved his hand toward the pot containing the stew. It felt like watching a fluffy puppy begging for food.

‘It’s not ready yet. Wait a bit.’
-Then raise the heat! The warmth in your core exists for this very moment!

Perhaps because he’d eaten hard bread for lunch, Wrath’s eyes were rolling around wildly.

‘….’

I shook my head as I watched drool dripping from Wrath’s mouth.

‘He’s completely lost his mind.’

That the Manhwagong left by the first Head of House of Zigheart existed for cooking—no matter how I tried to rationalize it, the only word that came to mind was madness.

-Show me the taste quickly. The savory aroma is unbearable!
‘Shut up.’
-Ugh!

I kicked Wrath away as he rolled across the ground pestering me, then slightly increased the heat of the makeshift hearth.

‘This should do it.’

Thanks to my elevated Manhwagong mastery, I could now perceive external heat as if it were my own, not just my internal energy.
In other words, I could naturally adjust the temperature to what was most suitable for cooking.

“Sigh….”

A hollow laugh escaped me at the absurdity that cooking was the first place I’d truly feel the difference of reaching the sixth star of Manhwagong.

I slowly stirred the simmering stew, then tasted it for seasoning.
The broth, rich with tender chunks of chicken and the sweet-bitter essence of garlic, coated my tongue smoothly.

-Whoa!

Wrath leaped to his feet with an exclamation.

-This is a dish made for sleeping rough! You’ve lost your mind!

His eyes had widened in genuine shock.

‘Not bad.’
“Ugh….”

When I turned up the heat slightly to cook it a bit longer, I heard Dorian groan.

I glanced over to find him wiping cold sweat from his forehead as he inspected the pork. His expression was grave.

“What are you doing?”
“I… I’m not sure if the meat is cooked properly….”
“Sigh….”

Still the same.

True to his timid nature, Dorian couldn’t be certain the meat was done, so he was overcooking it excessively.
The pork fat had rendered away completely, leaving it dried out like jerky.

“That’s enough. It’s going to turn into a biscuit.”
“Ah, understood.”

Dorian nodded stiffly and brought the overcooked meat to a plate.

“A biscuit. A real biscuit.”

I chuckled softly at the pork, which looked like it would crunch when bitten.

-That stupid bastard!

Wrath rushed at Dorian and smacked him on the head.

-You ruined this perfectly good meat! You’re garbage! Don’t even think about setting foot in the kitchen for the next hundred years!

This wasn’t the Demon Realm’s kitchen, and he wasn’t the head chef. The threat was absurd and pointless.

“Go ahead and eat.”

I set aside the thoroughly irritated Wrath, whose pride had been wounded by the ruined meat, and served Dorian a bowl of the finished chicken stew.

“Thank you for the meal. Gulp!”

Dorian bowed his head and accepted the bowl of stew. He took a spoonful and his eyes widened.

“W-what? Why is it so delicious?”
-This is what cooking truly is! Watch and learn from now on!

Wrath placed his hands on his hips as if he’d made it himself and snorted.

“I controlled the heat well.”

I took a spoonful of the stew. The rich chicken broth mingled with fresh vegetables, filling my mouth with a refreshing umami flavor.

-Mmm! Delicious indeed! I’ve said it before, but you have more talent for cooking than the sword. Did you grab the blade by mistake?

Wrath smacked his lips and patted my shoulder.

-If you wish it, I shall make you the True Demon King’s chef! Don’t swing a sword when you’re so frail—just hold a kitchen knife instead.
‘You….’

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at Wrath.

‘For someone who loves food, your descriptions of taste are remarkably simple.’
-W-what are you saying!
‘People who enjoy eating usually have a refined palate for describing flavors, but you just keep saying the same things everywhere: “Delicious indeed! I want more! Incredible!” That’s all.’
-N-no! The True Demon King can do it well too!

Wrath insisted it wasn’t the case and told me to try the stew again.

I nodded and ate the stew and pork in turn.

-Hmm….

Wrath’s eyes, which had been closed while savoring the taste in a crouched position, suddenly snapped open.

-The pork has a delightful crispness, and the stew is pleasantly rich and delicious!
‘….’

I looked down at Wrath, who had straightened his posture, with a pitying gaze.

‘Is that all?’
-Then what else is there!
‘Simply put, this grilled meat is cooked over direct flame like barbecue, and the smoky, peppery aroma stimulates the sense of smell. Because the fat has been rendered away, the concentrated saltiness and cookie-like crispness delight the palate. That’s how you’d describe it.’
-Ah….

Wrath looked at me with eyes that gleamed brighter than ever.

-Teach me! That’s what I wish to learn!
‘This isn’t something you can teach—you just have to feel it as it comes….’
-Never mind that! Teach me! The True Demon King wants to do that too!

True to his sincere nature about food, he seemed genuinely eager to learn how to describe flavors properly.
Though I had merely strung together words that sounded impressive myself.

‘I don’t know either.’

I batted away the charging Wrath like a ball and turned my gaze. Dorian was eating his stew while watching me intently.

“What is it?”
“Master. Are you going out with that hair color?”

He set down his stew and pointed to his own hair.

“Yes, I am.”

I nodded while running my fingers through my crimson hair, red as the moon.

“If I went in my own form, I wouldn’t be able to see how you’re truly treated.”

The name Raon Zigheart had spread far too widely.
Especially since the Six Emperors duel where I’d earned the new epithet “White Sword Dragon” had only recently concluded, so if I went as myself, no one would dare provoke me.

To understand how Dorian lived and what treatment he received, it was better to go as one of the Gwangpung Order members rather than as the White Sword Dragon.

“Well, but disguises don’t work perfectly. For someone as tall as the unit leader, it’s quite noticeable.”
“That’s why I wore a robe and bent my knees slightly before coming here.”

When I left the Robert Territory, I’d worn a robe and bent my knees to reduce my height by over ten centimeters. Even if Derus searched meticulously, he would never discover my traces.

“You even deceived your height? I had no idea.”

Dorian exhaled in amazement.

“Well, it’s nothing special… hm?”

As I waved my hand to continue speaking, a faint movement came from behind. Not something sharp like a blade, but a small living creature. Turning around, a flying squirrel was gliding toward me.

Whoosh.

I raised my hand, and the flying squirrel wrapped around my finger, landing precisely on my palm.

“Ugh! That creature!”

Dorian’s mouth fell open at the sight of the flying squirrel.

“What?”
“That’s the one who bit my hand yesterday when the unit leader was cultivating and floating in the air!”
“Sigh…”

I exhaled as I looked at the flying squirrel. The moment I heard those words, I understood its identity. Or rather, I’d known from the moment it flew toward me.

‘Did I receive help again.’

It seemed it had helped prevent the startled Dorian from disrupting my cultivation.

-The mad one is here! The mad one has arrived!

Wrath also trembled with a start upon realizing the messenger was Merlin.

“Squeak.”

The flying squirrel lifted its paw, revealing a small knot tied with white paper.

‘She didn’t come in person?’

If Merlin had come directly, she would have approached me when Dorian wasn’t around and spoken to me herself. This magic felt different from her usual methods.

I removed the note from the flying squirrel’s paw and received peanuts and almonds from Dorian to give it. The creature stuffed an almond in its mouth, clutched the peanuts in both paws, and waddled away into the forest.

“What is that thing? Are you seriously running a zoo?”
“My informant.”

I smiled faintly and unfolded the note. It contained only a single line.

“You’ll be able to see the children again soon.”
“The children? You don’t mean those kids from the orphanage?”

Dorian swallowed hard and shot to his feet.

“They’re safe now?”
-Are the children safe?

Both Dorian and Wrath, their hearts tender, asked the question simultaneously.

“Yes.”

I burned the note the flying squirrel had brought and smiled.

“She’s gone.”

*

*

*

The Owen Kingdom Private Villa located near Camelrun.

Agent 45, who had used the name Fine on the outside, stood blankly in the Training Ground of the villa, gazing up at the sky.

“Sigh….”

So suffocating.

Despite the clear, boundless sky above, my mind felt unbearably constricted. It was as though my body were crammed into a tiny box where even my fingers couldn’t move.

‘I can’t do anything.’

The demon who had tortured the children was dead, and the training had ended, yet my emotions and body refused to obey my will. I thought I had found freedom, but my soul remained imprisoned in the basement of that orphanage.

‘When will he… Ugh!’

The moment I tried to recall that swordsman who had come to the orphanage and cut down the demons, saving us all, a sharp, tearing pain seized my head.

“Aaah….”

It came again.

The tiny demons in my mind gestured at me. They commanded me to stab and kill the knights standing watch over there. Since escaping the basement of the orphanage, these seizures came countless times each day.

‘I have to endure it.’

Those knights came from far away to save the children, and they still treat me with such kindness and care. I must never attack them.

‘Go! Leave me alone!’

But no matter how much I resisted and endured, the ringing in my head did not fade—it only grew louder and more intense.

[Kill them. Kill them. Stab them to death.]

The demon inside my head repeated the command to murder, even formulating a plan to kill the knights.

[Pretend to get close, then use a stone to sever the left knight’s Achilles tendon. When he falls to his knees, pierce his throat. Once you take the knight’s sword, you can kill the right one too. You can do it. Kill them!]

A murder plan I had no desire to consider began to invade my thoughts of its own accord.

Agent 45 closed her eyes, biting her lip. She thought that if she couldn’t see, perhaps these commands would diminish.

[You could kill them.]

But as darkness consumed her vision, the demon in her mind grew more fervent.

[Kill them. If you move only by my command, it won’t be just those two—the other knights as well….]
‘Please, go away!’

She clutched her head and shook it violently. Yet the voice in her mind refused to fade.

“Aaaahhhhh!”

As she forced herself to endure, a scream pierced the air. Opening her eyes, she saw Agent 86—her roommate—charging at a knight with a sharpened branch clutched in her hand.

“No!”

Agent 45 rushed forward and grabbed Agent 86’s arm. But her friend’s strength was formidable, and Agent 45 couldn’t properly restrain her while battling the commands screaming in her own mind.

“Ahhhhh!”
“Aaahhh!”
“Die!”

Agent 86 became the catalyst—the other children rushed at the knights, wielding hidden weapons they’d concealed.

“Ughhhh….”
“Hrrgh!”
“Ah….”

The knights swiftly disarmed the children in a single motion.

Yet the children didn’t stop—they wailed and flailed with their hands and fists.

“….”
“Hmm….”

Though their trained fists and strikes carried considerable force, the knights made no move to block—fearful the children would be hurt.

“Please, stop!”

Agent 45 pulled Agent 86 away from her frenzied punching, tears streaming down her face.

‘Please….’

The demons of the Orphanage had transformed everyone’s minds into monsters, as if they had anticipated the children’s rescue. In this state, it was nearly impossible to knock them unconscious, and with seizures occurring daily, it was a living hell for both the agents and the knights.

“Aaaahhh!”

Agent 86 shoved her shoulder forward and hurled Agent 45 to the ground.

“Ah….”

Agent 45’s jaw trembled. Her own mind was barely holding together, leaving her with no strength to restrain Agent 86.

The person who came to mind now was him—the tall swordsman who had rescued them from the Orphanage and vanished without a trace.

Agent 45 pulled a piece of paper from her pocket.

[We’ll meet again. Follow the knights.]

Seeing the swordsman’s elegant handwriting, her mind cleared slightly. She rushed back and grabbed Agent 86.

“Agent 86. You can endure this! Stop!”

Though she gripped Agent 86’s shoulders, she could only be dragged along by the strength of someone who had already surrendered to madness.

Borini Kitten, who had been watching, bit his lip and approached, pulling Agent 86 into an embrace.

“Aaaahhh!”

Agent 86 bit into his shoulder with her teeth, but Borini Kitten kept his eyes closed, gently stroking her back.

“It’s okay.”

Borini Kitten shook his head with a bitter smile. It seemed to mean: stop suffering and let go.

“Uh….”

She wanted to cry, but no tears came. She wanted to scream, but no sound emerged.

I had no control over anything in my life.

‘How much longer? How much longer must I live like this?’

As I felt the soul-deep agony of flesh tearing apart, a shadow fell across my vision. When I lifted my head, an old man with clear, bright eyes approached me. He wore tattered rags draped across his body like a beggar, yet instead of a foul stench, a warm, comforting fragrance emanated from him.

“You’ll be fine now.”

The old man raised his finger and tapped Agent 86’s forehead lightly.

“Ah….”

Agent 86 closed her eyes and collapsed on the spot, her expression soft as if she had simply fallen asleep.

“You should rest too.”

The moment the old man’s finger tapped my forehead, the constant voice that had been chattering in my head vanished. For the first time—no, truly the first time ever—my mind felt clear.

But before I could even savor that sensation, an irresistible drowsiness crashed over me. Agent 45 closed her eyes and surrendered to sleep’s embrace.

*

*

*

The old man in rags—the Saint Pedrick—caught the two children before they could fall and laid them gently on the ground.

“S-Saint, we greet you!”

Borini Kitten bowed respectfully to Pedrick.

“How did you get here….”
“Just wait a moment. I need to calm the other children as well.”

Pedrick winked and moved forward with a light step. With each movement he made, the children who had been raging fell silent and collapsed as if overcome by sleep.

Borini Kitten stared at the sight with his mouth agape.

‘It’s been so hard to put them to sleep lately….’

The brainwashing grew more severe with each passing day, and the children had become increasingly violent. I couldn’t even use mana circuits to sedate them anymore. It was hard to believe they could be subdued so easily.

“It’s all done.”

Pedrick dusted off his hands after putting all the children to sleep and approached me.

“Could the person who can treat the children be….”
“That’s right. It’s me.”

He nodded, acknowledging that I’d figured it out.

“Who exactly is he? How did he know about this and give such orders?”

Borini Kitten swallowed hard and leaned forward.

“I don’t know either. I just came because I was asked to save the children.”

Pedrick shook his head, clearly clueless.

“Then, can the children be saved?”

Borini Kitten didn’t lose hope despite learning the identity was unknown, and immediately asked about the children.

“I’ll need to examine them more carefully, but fortunately the brainwashing was interrupted before completion. The children’s ferocity stems from the compulsion in their minds urging them to finish the brainwashing.”
“Ah, then….”
“Yes. It looks like they can be saved.”

Pedrick smiled as he gently stroked Agent 45’s head.

“Haah….”

Borini Kitten clasped his hands together and exhaled a sigh of relief.

‘Thank goodness.’

In all my years as a knight, I had never experienced such profound sadness and helplessness. I had desperately wanted to save the children, and now that the opportunity had come, I was truly grateful.

“You truly are a saint! Thank you so much.”
“No, I’m not that remarkable.”

Pedrick shook his head slowly.

‘The truly remarkable one is that fellow Raon.’

I was able to save these children because of Raon. If he hadn’t had me research the brainwashing that had been placed on the maidservant in the Yonan Family, I might not have been able to rescue these poor children, or they would have suffered far longer.

“For now, I need to take these children to the Northern Region.”

Pedrick nodded as he looked at the sleeping children.

“To the Northern Region? Why….”
“The cool natural winds there are effective at erasing the brainwashing lodged in their minds.”
“I see. Though there may be those who would seek to attack these children….”
“Don’t worry. My friend runs a small house in the Northern Region.”
“A small house? Wait, you don’t mean….”
“Yes.”

He nodded while looking at Borini Kitten, whose eyes had widened in surprise.

“I’m planning to take them to Zigheart. That fellow won’t turn away children like these.”

Pedrick smiled, recalling Raon’s gaze—those eyes that seemed to know everything, always looking further ahead.

‘I’ll heal these children as you would wish and bring them to Zigheart.’

*

*

*

Raon arrived at Rokan, the major city where the Sepia Trading Company was located, after a journey that was both brief and long alongside Dorian.

‘It’s a bit different from Camelrun.’

While Camelrun was dominated by ornate, refined buildings, Rokan had more structures that were taller but possessed a rigid, austere quality.

Unlike the guards at Camelrun who had let me pass with barely a glance, the sentries of Rokan were far more numerous and scrutinized each person with meticulous care.

Not just the guards—even the citizens’ attire reflected restraint, suggesting this city possessed a distinctly rigid atmosphere.

Yet there were similarities as well.

True to its status as a major city, countless people moved through its streets, and the internal markets thrummed with vitality. The harmonious cadence of haggling between customers and merchants echoed from every corner.

“Sigh….”

Dorian surveyed the city and exhaled deeply. As we approached his home, tension began to coil within him.

“Ease your mind.”

I placed a hand on Dorian’s shoulder and smiled.

“The child who fled in secret no longer exists. You are a swordsman of Zigheart now.”

At my words, the trembling in Dorian’s eyes stilled and steadied.

“You’re right.”

Dorian smiled and nodded. Hearing my words, the turmoil in his chest subsided. With this man beside me, it felt as though any obstacle could be overcome.

“Let’s go. I’ll show you the way.”

Dorian moved forward with newfound confidence in his stride.

“Yes.”

I followed behind Dorian with a smile, but soon came to a halt.

“What is it now? Are you still anxious?”
“No.”

Dorian shook his head and pointed ahead.

“We’ve arrived.”
“Hmm? This is just a shopping district.”

I tilted my head, gazing at the countless buildings that were impossible to count at a glance.

“From here to there.”

Dorian swept his finger across the expanse, pointing to all the structures while smacking his lips.

“They all belong to the Sepia Trading Company.”
“What…?”

My mouth fell open in shock.

‘Is this really all of it?’

Countless people moved between the diverse buildings, goods flowing in and out in a constant stream. More than a quarter of the entire city belonged to the Sepia Trading Company—the title of “merchant of all things” was hardly an exaggeration.

“Dorian.”

I grasped his shoulder, breaking into a wide smile.

“Thank you.”
“Yes? What do you mean all of a sudden…?”

Dorian’s mouth formed a perfect circle of confusion.

‘So this is the Sepia Trading Company.’

The scale was far greater than I’d anticipated.

Sparks of the same intensity I felt in battle ignited in my eyes.

‘This will become mine. Or rather, Dorian’s, I suppose?’
-You madman.

Wrath exhaled in exasperation.

-Grid would fall to his knees if he saw this lunacy!

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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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