The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 359

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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 359

A long rectangular table was laden with an exquisite spread of delicacies.

The aromas of countless dishes tantalized the senses and made mouths water, yet not a single person at the table gazed upon the food.

Every person in the Dining Hall had eyes only for Adis Sepia.

—Why did that old man bring up such a thing now? His sense of the atmosphere is absolutely terrible!

Of course, Wrath, being no human, kept his entire focus fixed upon the food.

—Rice must be eaten while it’s hot, yet it’s growing cold! The flavor and aroma have already diminished by twenty percent!
‘Be patient.’

I pushed the clinging Wrath aside and waited for Adis Sepia to speak again.

“Hmm.”

Adis, as if forgetting what he had just said, cut into the steak before him and brought it to his mouth.

“Delicious.”

He chewed the steak slowly, swallowed, and nodded in satisfaction.

—Since the old man has eaten, we should eat too! As he said, let’s start with the soup….
‘Wait.’

I shook my head and kept my gaze fixed on Adis.

“A master chef possesses the discerning eye to select superior ingredients and the skill to complete a masterpiece by bringing out the inherent flavors of each ingredient.”

Adis cut another piece of steak and ate it, then smiled.

“A master craftsman can fashion an elegant table such as this from blackwood—a timber so dense that even carving delicate details proves arduous.”

He swept his gaze across the rectangular table laden with food, examining each of the successor candidates in turn.

“A merchant buys goods cheaply and sells them at a markup. So what sets an exceptional merchant apart?”

He posed the question, but everyone remained silent, sensing it wasn’t meant to be answered.

“Dorian?”

Yet Adis Sepia was no ordinary man. He created an atmosphere as if he would provide the answer himself, then called upon Dorian to respond.

“Ugh!”

Dorian’s hands trembled on his knees at the sudden question thrust upon him.

“That is…”

He couldn’t answer immediately, his eyes darting toward Raon as if seeking help.

“….”

I offered neither words nor aura messages, simply closing my eyes.

-What are you doing?! Tell him the answer already! The food will get cold while that sluggard thinks!
‘I can’t rob him of the chance to grow.’

How he answered would reshape how everyone in the Dining Hall perceived Dorian.
I refused to steal from him an opportunity to become greater.

“Sigh…”

Dorian bit his lip, gazing at Adis Sepia. A faint glimmer danced in his trembling eyes.

“I… I believe an exceptional merchant is someone who can think from the customer’s perspective…”
“You’re saying that’s more important than earning money?”
“Earning money is certainly vital for a merchant, b-but if one chases only profit, they’ll lose both people and trust. So it can’t be the most important thing. If we build trust while conducting business, wouldn’t we eventually become a trading company that everyone respects?”
“You live in a dream world.”

Adis Sepia’s brows lowered heavily as he regarded Dorian.

“Tsk.”
“A guest, you say….”
“Still so young.”

The subordinates of the other successor candidates curled their lips in mockery as they sneered at Dorian.

“Ugh….”

Dorian’s face flushed crimson as he hung his head low.

“Trust between guest and merchant. In this age where only money and time matter, such words are truly laughable. And yet….”

As Dorian’s shoulders shrank to a size that could fit in a single palm, Adis Sepia continued.

“This Trading Company grew precisely because of that.”
“Pardon?”
“Father?”
“Merchant Guild Master?”

Everyone in the Dining Hall turned in surprise to look at Adis Sepia.

“A true merchant must know how to cater to their customers’ desires. Adjusting to others’ tastes is difficult, tedious, and exhausting. Yet the trust and credibility built through such effort becomes the very name of the Trading Company. The name of Sepia—known as the Sepia Trading Company—was forged in precisely this manner.”

Raon nodded as he listened to those words.

‘A true giant who built Sepia to this scale.’

The reason Sepia was called the Sepia Trading Company was not merely because it sold countless products, but because it also procured goods tailored to customers’ specific requests.
Adis Sepia seemed unchanged even after elevating the Sepia Trading Company to one of the Five Major Trading Companies.

“Hmm….”

Silence descended upon the Dining Hall. Everyone kept their heads bowed while casting sidelong glances of reproach at Dorian.

Yet Dorian straightened his back with confidence even as he met their gazes. His entire body trembled slightly from fear, but he could not help it.

Raon let out a soft chuckle as he watched Dorian.

‘I told you. It’s an opportunity to grow.’
-You’ve changed somewhat. But….
‘But?’
-The food is changing drastically! Every second is dangerous! You must eat quickly! The True Demon King must be rescued into my belly!
‘….’

Wrath’s eyes began to roll back. It seemed I would need to ignore this creature’s words for a while.

“Hmm!”

Adis Sepia cleared his throat lightly and gazed at the successors seated before the dining table.

“A rather difficult commission has come in recently. Normally, I would handle it myself, but I thought it would be perfect as a test for you all.”

His gaze turned first to Palen Sepia.

“Someone has accumulated wealth.”

The second person he looked at was Dialun.

“Someone has built connections….”

Third, he turned his head toward Jeseor, seated directly beside the head of the table.

“Someone possesses both wealth and connections. So I thought the matter was somewhat decided. But….”

Adis Sepia’s gaze finally turned to Dorian.

“There’s one who brought neither wealth nor connections, but rather fate itself.”

He placed his hand on the table with a composed expression.

“Since things have become interesting, it’s only right to give an interesting test.”

Adis Sepia opened his mouth once more, observing the successor candidates swallowing nervously.

“A commission from the Grey Hammer Guild. Bring me a Drake’s horns, teeth, claws, and bones. It would be even better if you brought the entire corpse.”
‘A Drake!’

The moment Raon heard Adis’s words, his fist clenched tightly beneath the table.

“A Drake’s corpse?”
“A Drake….”

The successor candidates’ mouths fell open—this trial was nothing like what they’d anticipated.

“It doesn’t matter whether you hunt it yourselves, purchase it from someone, or steal it. Whoever brings the corpse of the most exceptional Drake within a fortnight will be the victor.”
“Who decides which one is the most exceptional?”
“Of course, our guests from the Grey Hammer Guild will make that determination.”

At Adis’s gesture, the eyes of the successors and their subordinates gleamed with fierce intensity.

“Since we’ve finished our meal, may we take our leave?”

Jeseor, the eldest, rose without having touched a single morsel of food.

“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you for the meal.”

The moment those words left his lips, Jeseor and Dialun stood and departed.
The two of them and their subordinates strode out of the Dining Hall without hesitation.

“Hmm….”

Palen Sepia remained seated, stealing a glance at Raon.

-Palen Sepia.

Raon sent her an aura message while looking elsewhere.

-Don’t look at me. Act as you normally would. I’ll give you further instructions shortly.

Palen Sepia nodded so subtly it was barely perceptible and left the Dining Hall.

-Ugh….

Wrath’s jaw trembled as he watched the scene unfold.

—You’re not just going to leave, are you? If you do, the True Demon King will really cry!
‘….’

The threat held no weight whatsoever. But knowing he would whine and pester me relentlessly if I left without eating, I picked up the fork and knife.

—It’s soup! Even if it’s gone cold, it’s still soup! You have to eat it before you can eat more of the other dishes!
‘Good grief….’

I shook my head and spooned the soup into my mouth.
The rich aroma of truffle harmonized beautifully with the delicate flavor of the broth.

—If the soup is this good, the meat must be incredible! Next, that meat over there!
‘This is becoming increasingly tiresome.’

I sighed and was cutting into the meat when Dorian approached from the side.

“Master! What are you doing! Everyone’s already left!”

Dorian’s jaw trembled as he made an X shape with his hands.

“This is no time to be eating! Everyone else is moving right now!”
“There’s no need to worry. We’ll be the fastest anyway.”

I waved the hand holding the fork with ease.

“But they left first—how can we possibly be faster? What exactly is in that stomach of yours that makes you so obsessed with food!”
“Well, there is something in it.”

I chuckled softly, watching the blue cotton candy squirm.

A Demon King. And one who devours everything at that.

*

*

*

The Dining Hall after the meal had ended.

Adis and his butler Rigwin were left alone, enjoying a leisurely drink together.

“You’ve changed quite a lot, sir.”

Rigwin smiled, glancing at the seat where Dorian had been sitting.

“I never expected Young Master Dorian to voice his opinions so confidently.”
“What good is reaching that age if you can’t speak your mind?”

Adis shook his head, as if it were obvious.

“That opinion is admirable. You reminded me of yourself in your younger days, Merchant Guild Master.”
“Was I really that inadequate?”
“Not at all. You were remarkable. You declared you would make the Sepia Trading Company the greatest on the Continent—a company that was barely a speck—and you actually achieved it.”

Rigwin shook his head, looking at Adis.

“It was from that time that the Sepia Trading Company moved beyond merely buying and selling goods to accepting commissions directly. I still remember vividly when you, someone who couldn’t even fight, rushed out to hunt monsters yourself.”
“Bringing up old stories now? You’ve aged quite a bit yourself.”

Adis squinted, observing the wrinkles etched across Rigwin’s forehead.

“Yes, I have aged. Perhaps that’s why Young Master Dorian’s transformation resonates with me more deeply.”
“Hmm….”

Adis nodded slightly, as if he agreed.

“I believe Young Master Jeseor and Young Master Dialun would also manage this company well, but the one who might unexpectedly expand it beyond its current scale could very well be Young Master Dorian.”
“That’s possible. However, that’s not something he can accomplish alone.”

Adis set down his glass and smiled. His gaze shifted to the seat where Raon Zigheart had been sitting, beside Dorian.

“Raon Zigheart. That fellow isn’t merely strong. He knows precisely when to intervene and when to refrain. He’s also skilled at handling people. He possesses the qualities of both a tyrant and a sage king.”
“…To that extent?”

Rigwin’s eyes widened. He never imagined such words—tyrant and sage king—would come from the lips of Adis, who was sparing with praise.

“While the other young people hurried out, he alone enjoyed his meal with composure. Regardless of age, the man himself possesses remarkable boldness. The merchants were actually startled and flinched at his presence.”

He glanced at the dining table in front of Raon. Unlike the other tables, every dish was completely empty.

“A person’s true nature reveals itself when eating. The fact that he didn’t leave a single morsel of food before him suggests his appetite is extraordinary. Honestly, it gave me chills.”
“I share that sentiment. I had no idea he could eat to such an extent….”
“If we partner with him, this Trading Company will either tower above the remaining four or collapse entirely. There seems to be no middle ground.”

The two men swallowed hard, laboring under a profound misunderstanding.

*

*

*

The next day at noon.

I led Dorian, whose face had turned ashen, into the heart of Rokan.

“Did you find it?”
“I found it, but will it work? The older ones have already made their moves, I heard….”

Dorian’s hands trembled faintly, anxiety gnawing at him over falling behind.

“This trial is one we can’t help but win.”

Even before it begins.

I smiled faintly and shook my head.

‘Because I placed that information request long ago.’

The materials needed to repair Sylvia’s dantian were a Drake Heart and a Sea Serpent Heart.
Right after learning about those materials from Ensia, I had submitted a request to Deningrose regarding the Drake’s location, so by now, the preliminary information should have arrived.

“It’s here.”

Dorian pointed to a small shop selling dried goods.

“This is the Black Market’s Rokan Branch.”

He couldn’t be certain either, tilting his head as he observed the signboard draped in cobwebs.

“Do you know the password?”
“I’ve heard it mentioned, but….”

Dorian swallowed hard and stepped into the shop. As he passed through a corridor where the distinctive aroma of dried seafood tickled his nostrils, an elderly woman came into view, her back resting against a rocking chair.

“Ah, hello there.”
“….”

The old woman didn’t respond, and the creaking of the rocking chair served as her greeting.

“I’m, I’m looking for a sea serpent dried for ten years. Could you prepare one with the skin removed and salted to a nice savory taste?”

The moment those words left his lips, the rocking chair’s motion ceased.

“This way, please.”

The old woman rose slowly to her feet. Her gaze and voice as she lifted herself were incomparably youthful compared to her appearance. She seemed to be a young woman in disguise.

Tap-tap-tap!

She guided him to an inner chamber and tapped various points along the right wall.

Whoosh.

Without a sound or tremor, the wall panel slid open, revealing a staircase descending into darkness.

“Simply proceed down this passage.”

The woman bowed her head and returned to the rocking chair, settling back into it. In an instant, she had become an elderly woman struggling against drowsiness. Every time he visited the Black Market, he felt it—these were all extraordinary individuals.

Following the illumination and descending the stairs, another marketplace unfolded before him. Truly a Black Market in every sense. From peculiar provisions to precious metals gleaming with brilliant radiance, there seemed to be nothing absent.
However, the bright lighting from the ceiling and walls made the underground market feel even more luminous than the one above.

“Wow….”

True to his nature of being absorbed in procurement, Dorian couldn’t tear his eyes away from the goods scattered throughout the Black Market.

“This place seems to have quite a bit of stolen goods, unlike Camelrun.”

Judging by the state of the items, none of them appeared to be distributed through normal channels. Some still bore unbroken curses, and many lacked proper appraisals.

“Let’s go. You said we don’t have time.”

I tapped Dorian on the shoulder and headed toward the mansion marked with a black flag to gather information.

“It’s quite impressive, but I actually have some of these items myself.”
“….”

Dorian followed behind me, having said something utterly absurd.

‘I really need to check what’s in that pouch of his someday.’
-If you open that bastard’s belly, wouldn’t a Drake come out too?
‘That might actually be possible….’

Based on what he’d shown me so far, it genuinely seemed plausible.

“You don’t have a Drake in that pouch too, do you?”
“Well, when we first escaped, I did grab a few claws….”

Dorian pulled out two enormous claws from his belly pouch, their thick blades curved like spear tips.

“Turns out they’re not Drake claws—they’re Griffin claws.”
“Griffin….”

Griffins were far rarer monsters than Drakes. The fact that he possessed claws from such a wondrous creature left me speechless.

“Sigh….”

I shook my head and came to a stop before the mansion at the end of the Black Market. Four warriors with gleaming eyes stood before the massive iron gate.

“I am….”
“We greet the White Dragon Sword!”

The warriors bowed with perfect precision, their bodies bent at right angles in the most respectful salute.

“Please, enter.”

They seemed to know why he had come to this place, so they stepped aside and opened the iron gate for him.

‘Did she know I would come?’

Raon narrowed his eyes and stepped inside. Unlike the exterior, he passed through soft, soothing lighting and luxurious decorative pieces before heading toward the inner chamber where the only signs of presence could be felt.

“Wow, truly the White Sword Dragon!”

Dorian approached from the side, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

“Do you receive these kinds of privileges when you earn the title of Sword Dragon?”
“Would I?”

Raon let out a scoff and waved his hand dismissively.

“It seems someone I know is waiting for us here.”

As he stood before the door at the end of the corridor, it opened of its own accord, revealing the figure within.

Crimson hair that seemed to burn with flame cascaded down to her shoulders, and she wore an eye patch adorned with a rose on her right eye—a strikingly beautiful woman.

‘It was Deningrose after all.’

Deningrose, who had played a crucial role in rescuing me when I was kidnapped by Eden, rose gracefully and bowed her head.

“I greet the White Sword Dragon.”
“It has been a while.”

Raon returned the greeting and entered the room.

“Please, have a seat.”

Deningrose gestured to the seat across from her with a subtle smile. He nodded and took his place.

“Have you become the Branch Master of Rokan now?”

The region she had been in charge of was Granseville. He had not expected her to leave that place, which was still undergoing reconstruction, to come here.

“No. I’m still the Branch Manager of Granseville.”
“Then why are you here….”

Rokan was an extraordinarily distant region from Granseville. I couldn’t fathom why someone who wasn’t even a branch manager would be in this place.

“It just so happened that I became responsible for you, Raon. I was waiting because I thought you’d come.”
“If I had known….”
“It’s hardly a secret anymore that you exert yourself for the youngest young master of the Sepia Trading Company.”

Deningrose let out a soft laugh. Though I’d sensed it before, her expression was surprisingly modest compared to her brilliant appearance.

“Besides, the Drake search is something you commissioned long ago, so naturally I had to come.”

She already knew what test Adis had devised.

“It seems others have already passed through here.”

It appeared that Jeseor and Dialun had come through this place to gather information.

“….”

Deningrose didn’t answer, simply lowering her eyes slightly. That was answer enough.

“Have you found the Drake?”

Raon quenched his thirst with the tea placed on the table and asked.

“I did discover what appears to be the Drake Holy Body’s Nest. I was planning to inform you after gathering a bit more information, but circumstances have changed.”
“Pfft!”

Dorian sputtered out the tea he’d been drinking in shock.

“H-how did you prepare in advance like this?”

He covered his mouth as tea dribbled down, his eyes trembling in disbelief.

“I knew something was off! You’re growing too fast! Young Master, what exactly are you! A god! A demon!”
“Your superior.”

I smacked Dorian on the head as he trembled violently.

“Ow!”

I left Dorian rubbing his head frantically and turned to look at Deningrose. She wore a serene smile, clearly amused by the situation.

“Ah, my apologies….”

Deningrose lowered her head slightly before straightening up. The genuine smile vanished, replaced once more by her practiced expression.

“So you did manage to locate it?”
“Yes. It seems the Drake Holy Body’s Nest has been abandoned for some time, but the location itself is certain. However….”

Her expression hardened like dried plaster.

“We have intelligence that the Black Tower is moving toward that location. It appears they’re targeting the Drake.”
“The Black Tower….”
“The Black Tower is one of the organizations within Oma with heavily restricted information. To be honest, I’d prefer we didn’t clash with them.”
“The Black Tower, huh….”

That could actually work out well.

The moment I heard the Black Tower was coming, a plan formed in my mind—one where I could accomplish my goal without getting my hands dirty.

“Do you happen to have a map of that region?”
“What sort of idea have you come up with?”

Deningrose’s eyes widened as she leaned forward.

“Yes.”

I smiled coldly while watching Dorian massage his head.

“If all goes well, I think we’ll catch two fish and a shrimp in one net.”

As I contemplated a plan that would yield such a windfall, Wrath’s voice echoed in my mind.

-Are you planning to roast them?
‘Ah, give me a break….’

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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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