The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 431

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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 431

“His name is Edgar.”

Sylvia gazed at the Sword Ghost’s eyes, which somehow resembled her husband’s, and spoke the name Edgar for the first time in a very long while.

“He, he was….”

I had thought I would be fine by now, but the moment his name left my lips, a sharp ache pierced through my chest as if thorns had been driven into it.
As my nose began to sting and tears threatened to spill unbidden, Raon silently squeezed my hand firmly.

Against my son’s steady yet warm grip, my turbulent heart gradually settled.

“I first met him at a tavern in Camelun. It was when my condition was at its worst due to endless consecutive missions.”

Sylvia closed her eyes and recalled those days.

‘Those were tedious and agonizing times.’

My father repeated training and warfare without offering any attention, my siblings ignored me as if I didn’t exist, and the executives sought every way to exploit me, so I left the Family Estate and traveled externally, handling only the missions assigned to me.

When I was so exhausted that I wanted to abandon everything, I met him.

“I had concealed my identity and was drinking alone on the second floor of the tavern when a fight broke out on the first floor. It was just the sort of brawl drunks get into anywhere, so I paid it no mind.”

Even watching them fight and create chaos, I took no action. My heart was too weary, and I thought they would settle it reasonably on their own, so I simply continued drinking.

But it turned out both drunkards were heirs to rather prominent martial families, and what began as a personal quarrel escalated into a group affair, transforming the entire tavern into a battlefield.

“Just as I was about to leave because it was becoming bothersome, a man inserted himself into the fight.”

Sylvia narrowed her eyes as she gazed at the Sword Ghost’s face.

“He wielded only a single worn blade, yet subdued all the martial artists from both sides. Without any overwhelming aura or presence, using only swordsmanship, he defeated more than twenty martial artists.”
“With swordsmanship alone….”
“And you know what the funny part was? That fool made everyone he had subdued sit down and began lecturing them. He went on at length about how much damage a tavern brawl causes the Restaurant Manager, how frightened the citizens become, and how swordsmanship shouldn’t be used that way.”
“….”

The Sword Ghost gazed down at the trembling tea with a grave expression.

“It was clearly a meaningless act, yet he taught everyone seriously. I was about to turn away thinking him a fool, when the warrior who had fainted at first tried to stab him from behind.”

Since he possessed swordsmanship skills that rivaled even my own, I thought he would sense their presence through aura detection. Yet surprisingly, he failed to notice the assassins approaching from behind.

I considered ignoring it since it wasn’t my affair, but perhaps because I found him amusing, I unknowingly flicked a fork from the table and struck the shoulder of the one attempting the ambush.

“That was when I first locked eyes with him. His gaze was sharp as a blade’s edge, yet his blue eyes carried such warmth.”

He didn’t kill the one who had tried to attack him either. After his sermon, he ascended to the second floor.

“He bowed to me and said he was grateful I saved him, that he would repay this debt. I told him to forget the debt—I wanted to ask him questions instead.”

My first question was why he preached to them. It seemed a pointless act, so I was curious about his reasoning.

“He acknowledged it too—that it was meaningless to most. But he said that if even a single person lived a new life because of his words, then his teachings would have value. He said he himself had gained enlightenment that way.”

Sylvia smiled, recalling Edgar’s laughter from that first day.

“Second, I asked why his aura was so weak despite his exceptional swordsmanship, and he answered with a bright face that it had simply turned out that way.”

She recounted the things she had done with Edgar one by one, watching the Sword Ghost’s complexion darken to black.

*

*

*

“In short, Edgar was a weak person who acted above his station. He carried himself as though he were a master. But his personality was something I had never seen in Zigheart—or anywhere else for that matter—so I found myself drawn to him without realizing it.”
“…I see.”

Lectar smiled faintly as he listened to Sylvia’s words. Yet inside, his heart was cracking and blackening as though burned to ash.

‘That’s just like you, Edgar.’

That foolish son hadn’t even changed his name after leaving Ryeon.
Despite hating his father and Ryeon so much, he continued to use that name until the very end—truly, it was so like him.

‘He couldn’t shed that frustrating nature of his, either.’

Edgar possessed a righteous and virtuous character unlike the other martial artists who belonged to Ryeon. Had he been part of an ordinary faction, he would have earned renown as a wandering knight.

‘But….’

He could never have lived that way.

People say one cannot live doing only what they wish, but Edgar’s struggle was severe. He could never comprehend taking and sparing lives purely for mutual gain, without grudge or passion. It was no different than forcing a child suited for the fountain pen to wield a sword for life, and my chest ached whenever I saw that boy.
It was no different from putting a sword in the hands of a child meant for a fountain pen for life, so every time I saw that kid, my heart ached.

It was nearly impossible for Edgar to leave Ryeon, so I tried various methods to change that child, but whether it was something he learned from his mother or his nature, he never bent, even if he would break.

“In the end, you escaped Ryeon on your own.”

That boy, who could have aspired to the position of next Ryeon Lord, left Ryeon bearing wounds that could never fully heal.
That fellow, who could have even aimed for the position of the next Ryeon leader, left Ryeon behind with wounds he could never recover from.

Only then did he regret that he should have understood his son more quickly and more deeply.

“That damn bastard…”

When he returned after finishing Ryeon’s request, he recalled his son’s final letter that remained in the corner of the room.

I want to become a person who is not ashamed before myself and my family. Please understand. Father.

I thought not searching for him was my final consideration for my son, yet here in this place, I encountered those he had left behind.
I thought not finding that child was the last consideration I could show my son, but I ended up meeting the people that child left behind right here at The Facility.

He was happy no matter what he did. Even without money, even when facing difficult situations, he always smiled. His eyes were a bit scary, but he was a bright person, like the sun.

Sylvia smiled softly as she watched the garden trees sway in the breeze.

“Thanks to them, I’ve changed too. I grew up in Zigheart and was cold-hearted, not knowing affection, but because of that person, I came to understand what it means to be human.”

Her eyes deepened as if recalling the days she had spent with Edgar.

“I told Raon to draw his sword for people because of Edgar. I hoped he would become a child who, like Edgar, draws his sword for the world and can always smile happily. Well, the second one is ambiguous, but it seems the first one has been achieved.”

Sylvia murmured that she wished I would smile a little more, then touched my cheek.

“You speak the truth. Raon’s sense of justice has spread across the entire Continent.”

The Sword Ghost trembled at the fingertips as he agreed with Sylvia’s words.

‘Edgar. You have achieved what you desired.’

Your life has melted into this place.

When I heard from Raon that his father had died, I believed Edgar had met a dog’s death.
I thought that if he had remained in Ryeon, he might have been called the Sword King when the seal was broken, yet he had foolishly wounded himself and died.

But it was not so.

My son’s will did not die—it remained and stayed with these two.

Just as Edgar’s name meant creating happiness, his happiness remained in this place.

‘Mm….’

My nose stung and my eyes burned. I bit my lip hard. If I did not suppress my emotions by channeling my aura, tears would surely fall.

The Sword Ghost watched Sylvia speak of the joys of the life she had shared with Edgar, his hand clenched tightly beneath the table.

‘She must have lived a difficult life.’

She had deliberately not brought up the story of this place, but surely her life had been filled with hardship.
Knowing what becomes of one who has escaped the martial world, my heart ached.

“After leaving Zigheart, we settled in a small village in the northeast. The people were kind, and with mountains and a river nearby, we had no need to worry about sustenance. However….”

Sylvia’s bright voice grew low and heavy.

“Eden’s ghosts who recognized my face came to attack us….”

She spoke of losing Edgar and her eldest daughter to Eden, biting her lip until it bled.

“A, a daughter? Raon was not alone?”

The Sword Ghost was startled to hear that Raon had an older sister, and called him by name.

“Yes. Raon has an older sister with a bit of an age gap. But she and I… fell to Eden’s hands.”

Sylvia couldn’t finish her words and squeezed her eyes shut. From her eyes, which had been holding back tears, thin streams of moisture began to flow.

Tsk.

The Sword Ghost bit his tongue hard and clenched his fists. He forcefully suppressed his power through pain, knowing that without restraint, his energy would explode immediately.

‘I had a granddaughter too?’

His jaw trembled as he turned his gaze toward Raon. The fact that he had not only a daughter-in-law and grandson, but also a granddaughter, made his heart feel as though it would burst from the pressure.

‘I should have found her sooner!’

No—I should have known of her even without searching.

Profound regret washed over me. The thought that I had failed at everything, losing not only my son but also my granddaughter, brought a pain as if my chest were being torn apart.

“Can you tell who from Eden attacked?”
“It was the Twin-Headed Demon.”

The Twin-Headed Demon was a monster that inherited the power of Ettin, one of the highest-ranking among all monsters. But the creature’s strength hardly mattered.
Rage surged within him at the thought that this creature had killed his son and a granddaughter whose face he had never seen.

“I see.”

The Sword Ghost nodded, forcefully suppressing his emotions.

“Thank you for sharing such a painful story with me.”

He bowed respectfully to Sylvia.

“Um…”

Sylvia set down the teacup she had been holding by its rim and swallowed dryly.

“Is it possible that Lectar knows Edgar?”

My chest heaved at those words. Not only Sylvia, but Raon also gazed at me with eyes that seemed to perceive something profound.
Both their gazes held an unmistakable certainty.

‘It makes sense, doesn’t it.’

Edgar and I bore the unmistakable resemblance of father and son—especially in our eyes.
When I looked at Raon, I could discern the boy’s features hidden beneath his striking visage, so it was hardly surprising.

I wanted to reveal the truth.

More than mere acquaintances. I wanted to cry out that I was his grandfather, that I was his great-grandfather.

‘But….’

Not now.

My current allegiance lay with those who could only be called enemies of Zigheart.
Until I resolved that matter, I could not reveal my identity to them. I could not inflict another wound upon those already suffering.

“That is not the case.”

The Sword Ghost swallowed the words ‘not yet’ and shook his head.

“I see.”

Sylvia laughed awkwardly, her expression clouded with disappointment.

“I apologize for letting you down.”

The Sword Ghost pressed his nails into his palm and closed his eyes.

“No, not at all! It felt good to speak of buried memories after so long.”
“Then I am relieved.”

The Sword Ghost watched Sylvia and Raon smile, his lips pressed firmly shut.

‘From now on, I will protect you. This worthless grandfather will shield you.’

*

*

*

“Fortunately, Father sent an escort to protect us, so we managed to survive. After that, we returned to Zigheart and I raised Raon.”

Sylvia stroked Raon’s head with a distant smile.

“It must have been difficult…”

The Sword Ghost furrowed his brows as if understanding what life here had been like.

“It’s fine. Looking back now, he showed us considerable kindness.”
“Kindness?”
“Yes. He sent us to this Annex Building so we wouldn’t clash with my other siblings or the executives. At first, I thought it meant we weren’t accepted, but it wasn’t that at all. Father was showing consideration in his own way.”

Sylvia spoke with a smile about how Glen had made efforts to ensure she could live comfortably here.

“That does seem to be the case.”

The Sword Ghost nodded in agreement.

Raon nodded as he observed Sylvia’s gentle smile.

‘She’s right.’

After Sylvia had left the Family Estate and returned, being sent to the Annex Building and having her former attendants remain with her—it was cold in appearance, yet showed consideration in its own way.

‘Appearances can be deceiving.’

Whether it was the Main Lineage, the Branch Family, or outsiders, Glen Zigheart rewarded those who contributed with appropriate compensation. When the Family Estate’s reputation was tarnished, he moved personally. This warrior had a substance that belied his cold exterior.

I watched the Sword Ghost listen intently to Sylvia’s words for hours now, clasping my hands together.
He appeared calm in conversation, but his eyes trembled faintly—a tremor he couldn’t conceal.

‘Is it regret?’

Human emotions were still difficult for me to comprehend precisely, but the color in his gaze seemed to carry something like regret.

“Ah, now that I think about it, we’ve become a proper unit now, haven’t we? The Gwangpung Corps!”

Sylvia clapped her hands as if the thought had just occurred to her, turning her head toward me.

“As of today, we’re officially the Gwangpung Corps. I wanted to call it the Mad Dog Unit, though.”
“That… that sounds a bit too undignified, doesn’t it?”

She shook her jaw and muttered her disapproval of that name.

“Anyway, we’ve become a proper unit now! We should throw a celebration party! Let’s invite the Lord as well….”
“Ah, he won’t be able to come.”
“Why not?”
“It seems he won’t be able to move for a while. Or perhaps….”

I muttered that Raon might already be dead and shook my head.

“W-well, then we’ll have to do it among ourselves. We need time to prepare anyway. Let’s hold it in two days. Lectar, will you join us as well?”
“I did nothing to contribute to this….”
“Just come as a guest and celebrate with us!”
“Very well, I understand.”
“Thank you!”

Sylvia bowed her head and headed toward the Annex Building, saying she needed to inform the attendants.

I narrowed my eyes as I traced the gaze of the Sword Ghost, whose pupils were fixed intently on Sylvia’s back.

‘He said he had no connection to my father….’

Sylvia had asked the Sword Ghost with certainty whether he was someone related to my father, and he had answered no.

‘I heard something similar myself.’

Though it was slightly different.

When I was at the Lower Castle, I had asked him the same question that Sylvia just did, and the Sword Ghost had answered no—but back then, there was one more word attached at the beginning.

‘He said “not yet.”‘

There was a stark difference between saying someone was already dead and saying “not yet”—a peculiar distinction indeed.

‘I’m certain. The Sword Ghost and Father knew each other.’

Quite closely, in fact.

The Sword Ghost might not have been aware of his own expression, but from where I stood, it was unmistakably evident. He and Father clearly had history.

I watched the Sword Ghost lift the empty teacup, my lips pressing together thoughtfully.

‘Father must owe him a considerable debt, or perhaps….’

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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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