The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 435
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 435
“Sigh…”
Glen exhaled a frustrated breath as he watched Lectar and Yua, who had come to pick up Raon.
‘A celebration?’
From what I gathered, it seemed they were holding a celebration today for the Gwangpung Corps’ promotion. It wasn’t a grand affair—just a modest gathering among those in the Annex Building—but it stung that Lectar was joining in my place as the grandfather.
‘But…’
I couldn’t bring myself to say that I wanted to join them.
I had managed to find the courage to teach Raon directly, but asking to participate in the celebration at the Annex Building where Sylvia was present—that was beyond me.
My lips would never open to make such a request.
‘How pathetic. Glen.’
Though I was called the Northern Destruction King and the Thunder God, in truth I was nothing but a coward unable to move a single finger because I feared the awkward gazes of my daughter and grandson.
Even now, the desire to go to the Annex Building and share a drink with Raon stirred within me, and I let out a hollow laugh at my own pathetic longing.
Glen clenched his fists as he watched Lectar conversing with Raon.
‘You may attend the celebration, but I won’t lose when it comes to raising Raon.’
As I steeled my resolve while watching Lectar, I heard small footsteps. It was Yua, the child with special talents whom Raon had brought back from the Lower Castle.
“….”
Yua approached from the side, lost in thought, and tilted her head up blankly.
Feeling awkward around children, I was about to turn away when Yua reached out her small hand and grasped my finger.
“Hmm?”
I was about to pull my hand away, wondering what this was all about, when the child continued speaking.
“Would the Head of House like to come with us?”
Yua tugged at my captured finger and smiled brightly, saying it would be even better if the Head of House attended today’s celebration party.
“We’re having a party today!”
“Hmm….”
Glen couldn’t bring himself to withdraw his hand from the child’s grasp, feeling the warmth transmitted through her pinky finger. This sensation was the first he’d experienced since secretly embracing young Raon long ago.
“Yua!”
Raon rushed over urgently and grabbed Yua.
“My apologies. She’s still young and doesn’t fully understand proper etiquette.”
He spoke of it as a child’s innocent mistake and pleaded for forgiveness just this once.
“This is….”
Glen shook his head to say it was nothing serious, then stopped. As he gazed into Raon’s eyes, the words Rimer had hurled at him while dying came flooding back.
【Spend your whole life buried in that cave and die without ever sharing a drink with Raon!】
‘That’s right.’
Before I die, I should share a drink with my grandson at least once. Even if I have to cast aside all shame.
I lifted my gaze to look at Lectar. He wore a relaxed smile, as if he had already won.
‘That old geezer….’
The resignation and acceptance I’d felt just moments before melted away, and a new flame of determination ignited fiercely within me.
“Come here.”
Glen gestured to Yua, who was peeking out from behind Raon with wide eyes.
“It would be impolite to refuse an invitation from a lady.”
Embarrassment and shame flooded through me, my face burning crimson, my chest constricting as though bound by wire—yet I took the child’s hand and offered a faint smile.
“I’ll attend that party as well.”
*
*
*
Raon swallowed hard, his gaze fixed upon the tableware arranged before him.
‘How did things spiral into this?’
They had planned a modest celebration for the Annex Building’s promotion—a simple gathering among themselves—yet now an uninvited guest had arrived, and not merely one.
‘Surely this is not a dream?’
My lips trembled faintly as I turned my head to the right.
Glen Zigheart sat at the head of the table, his expression flushed with subtle excitement, while Sylvia beside him trembled, scarcely able to draw breath.
“Ugh….”
“Hnngh….”
Helen and the attendants standing behind the table released stifled groans as though on death’s door. Only Glen and Yua, who had summoned him, remained composed in this moment.
“Hmm….”
Lectar, having seated himself at the table’s far end as a guest, regarded Glen with eyes mingling jealousy and intrigue.
Tap.
Raon drummed his fingers lightly against the table, studying Glen.
‘I never expected he would actually come….’
Yua’s invitation to Glen was certainly unexpected, but I assumed it was the child’s mistake and naturally expected him to decline.
However, after a moment of thought, he decided it would be rude to refuse a lady’s invitation and attended the party with alcohol in hand.
When I saw Glen standing before the Annex Building’s door, Sylvia and Helen’s expressions had turned as pale as mice standing before a cat.
“W-well….”
Sylvia rose from her chair, her eyes trembling slightly.
“Oh, t-today we’ve prepared everything to celebrate the Gwangpung Unit, which Raon, Yua, and Julius belong to, being promoted to the Gwangpung Corps. Please, everyone, enjoy!”
She spoke formally because Glen and Lectar were present, spreading her hands. The trembling in her fingers was pitiful to witness.
“Then let’s begin.”
“Ah, yes!”
“Y-yes, the meal is served.”
At Sylvia’s command, the maids rushed in with the carefully prepared dishes as if they’d been waiting for the signal.
Their normally fluid movements creaked like wooden puppets. The large table shook noticeably.
Even the composed Judith trembled so much that she dropped a fork to the floor.
“….”
Glen showed no reaction even as the maids made mistakes, his gaze fixed on Lectar sitting across from him.
Lectar met Glen’s eyes in return, his gaze growing sharp. Sparks seemed to fly between their locked stares.
-How pathetic.
Wrath shook his head as he observed Glen and Lectar.
-No matter how old one grows or how strong one becomes, childishness is inevitable.
‘True enough.’
Watching these old men engage in their second staring contest—first at the Training Ground, now at the Annex Building’s dining table—I let out a hollow laugh.
While Glen and Lectar wasted time on their pointless battle of wills, the table had already filled with delicious dishes prepared by Helen and the maids. Fresh steam rose gently from the food, still warm from completion.
-What are you doing!
Wrath shot up from his seat, his round hands flailing about.
-Ignore those old fools and pick up your fork! You’ve fed the True Demon King rubber bread two days in a row, so you’d better be prepared, right?
He smacked his lips, declaring that even if his stomach burst today, he would devour every last morsel of food.
I pushed away the red-eyed Wrath and turned my gaze toward Glen.
‘Wait and see.’
Normally, dining etiquette in the Annex Building meant everyone enjoyed their food freely, but that couldn’t be the case when Glen, the Head of House, was present.
After the attendants had finished setting the table, they didn’t sit down as usual. Instead, they stood rigidly in the background, watching Glen’s every expression.
Sylvia remained silent, realizing that her actions could affect not just herself but the attendants as well, while Lectar, knowing who truly held authority in this place, simply observed without uttering a word.
“Hmm.”
Glen gazed at the food before slowly lifting his eyes.
“Why are you all standing? I was under the impression that everyone in the Annex Building dines together?”
He issued a calm instruction for the attendants to take their seats.
“H-Head of House.”
Sylvia’s head snapped toward Glen.
“How did you know these children sit here?”
Her eyes widened in wonder at Glen’s knowledge of the Annex Building’s customs.
“Ahem!”
Glen didn’t answer immediately. He tapped his fingers before slightly parting his stiffened lips.
“…Rimer told me.”
“Ah, I see.”
Sylvia nodded. Rimer seemed to think it was entirely plausible, given that he frequently visited the Annex Building to beg for meals whenever his funds ran dry.
“Since the Head of House has permitted it, please, everyone be seated.”
She gestured to the maidservants who stood awkwardly, instructing them to take their places.
“…Yes.”
“Th-thank you very much.”
The maidservants bowed to Glen before settling into their seats. Yet their complexions had grown even more pallid than before, and their shoulders trembled visibly.
“….”
As silence enveloped Glen, Sylvia, and Lectar alike, the soft patter of footsteps echoed from the Kitchen.
“All done!”
Yua set a large pizza down at the center of the table, accompanied by Julius. It was a pineapple pizza, refined even further by her Grandfather.
-Grrr!
Wrath clenched his fist as he gazed upon Yua.
-Truly, the pineapple girl lives up to her name! To complete such a masterpiece in the interim—remarkable indeed! Make haste and partake of it!
‘Wait a moment.’
He urged me to eat the pizza quickly, but with Glen sitting motionless, I found myself unable to move.
“….”
A second silence descended. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, watching for any sign from Glen and Lectar.
Grrrrrowl.
A thunderous rumble erupted from Julius’s stomach.
“I-I’m terribly sorry!”
He immediately bowed his head in apology for his rudeness, yet no one reproached him.
Rather, the tension dissolved, and many exhaled sighs of relief.
“Hmm.”
Glen lifted his spoon first.
“Best to eat while it’s still warm.”
The moment he began sipping his soup, Sylvia and Helen, along with the attendants, moved with mechanical precision, their postures rigid as they spooned the soup into their mouths.
Slurp.
The faint sound of soup entering each mouth proved that the people gathered here were anything but puppets.
—Yaaaaaah!
As I ate awkwardly, Wrath began rolling around on my head.
—You’ve had soup! Now eat something else! There’s roasted meat, lamb ribs, pizza!
‘If I eat all that now, I’ll get indigestion….’
He shouted for me to try this and that, but Glen’s gaze made it difficult for me to reach for anything.
“….”
The third silence. The table was filled only with the sound of dishes clinking as if some espionage war had broken out, and no one opened their mouth.
“Huh.”
When Glen set down his spoon expressionlessly, Yua sprang to her feet.
“Head of House! Please try this! It’s Young Master Raon’s absolute favorite!”
Yua took a slice of the pineapple pizza she had brought earlier and placed it on Glen’s plate.
“Ugh!”
“Y-Yua!”
“Huh!”
“Mm….”
Yua’s sudden impulsive action caused Sylvia and Helen’s eyes, along with those of the attendants, to widen in shock.
Everyone was so flustered they couldn’t even form proper words.
Glen, however, didn’t so much as furrow his brow. He simply accepted the pizza Yua had offered and placed it in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed it with his lips sealed, then nodded with evident satisfaction.
“It’s delicious.”
“Right? It’s made from our Grandfather’s recipe!”
Yua beamed with pride as she boasted about her Grandfather to Glen, giggling brightly.
“Your Grandfather must be proud.”
Glen responded to Yua’s words and took another bite of pizza.
“Of course! He’s the finest chef in the Lower Castle!”
Yua raised her hand triumphantly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
The tension that had filled the entire dining table dissipated noticeably with their brief but meaningful exchange.
“Yua, might you share some with this old man as well?”
“Of course!”
At Lectar’s gesture, Yua smiled brightly and began distributing the pizza.
“Hmm! Even better than what the Restaurant Manager makes.”
As Glen and Lectar ate the pizza with satisfaction, Sylvia and the attendants, their trembling subsided, finally began eating properly.
“Hah….”
I let out a hollow laugh as I watched Yua, who had warmed the atmosphere of the table with her natural charm.
‘Is it because she learned rhythm?’
Yua seemed to have taken it upon herself to dispel the tension and heavy atmosphere that had filled the dining table.
‘Or perhaps she simply enjoys it.’
Watching her approach Glen and Lectar—whose faces and expressions were intimidating—with such familiarity suggested it might be her nature.
‘Either way, thanks to her, I think I’ll survive this.’
-You brat….
As I smiled at Yua, Wrath let out a sharp cry.
-The food is disappearing! Please, eat something! My mouth still tastes like rubber!
‘Understood. I get it.’
I nodded at Wrath’s outburst and tried Yua’s pizza.
‘Wow….’
Just as Lectar had said, it surpassed even the pizza made by Yua’s grandfather.
The various meats, vegetables, and perfectly roasted pineapple harmonized beautifully, releasing a diverse array of flavors with each bite. Glen’s acknowledgment hadn’t been without reason.
-Ahhhhh! That’s it! Finally, the rubber taste clinging to my tongue has vanished!
Wrath’s eyes glistened with tears as he declared that the taste of the bread had finally disappeared.
-Next, bring the grilled meat! Lamb ribs are essential!
‘Yes, yes….’
As I obliged Wrath’s demands and began portioning other dishes onto my plate, Lectar lifted his gaze.
“Head of House.”
He smoothed the table while looking at the red bottle of liquor placed before Glen.
“Did you bring that liquor yourself?”
“I did.”
Glen nodded and pushed the bottle forward.
“I was invited to the party, so I couldn’t very well arrive empty-handed. I brought whatever I could get my hands on.”
In truth, this wine had been prepared since the day I slew the Phantom Soul Ghost—a premium vintage of the highest caliber.
It was far more expensive than platinum of equal weight, yet I had deliberately removed the label to disguise it as something cheap.
‘Well, wine is wine, after all.’
As I nodded and resumed eating, someone brushed their foot against mine beneath the table.
Since only Sylvia was positioned in that direction, I lifted my head to see her sending a meaningful glance toward Glen.
‘Is she telling me to pour the wine?’
From the look in her eyes, it seemed she wanted me to pour that wine for Glen.
‘I suppose that would be the proper etiquette.’
This was my first time dining with an uncomfortable elder, so I hadn’t known, but Sylvia appeared to be right.
“Head of House.”
I rose from my seat and approached Glen’s side.
“Would it be acceptable if I poured for you?”
“…Do as you please.”
Glen glanced away and pushed the bottle toward me.
“Thank you.”
I accepted the bottle and uncorked it. A crisp pop accompanied the release of an elegant, subtly sweet aroma that unfurled delicately. Despite his claim that it was cheap, its premium quality was unmistakable at first whiff.
It was clearly a finest vintage, not some bargain.
‘Hmm?’
As I began pouring into Glen’s glass, his expression transformed into something indescribable. His pupils trembled faintly, his cheeks flushed crimson, and the corners of his mouth quivered like reeds caught in the wind. To any observer, he would have appeared thoroughly intoxicated already.
His pupils trembled faintly, his cheeks flushed, and the corners of his mouth quivered like wind-beaten reeds. Anyone who saw him would have thought he was already heavily intoxicated.
“Do you have a low tolerance for alcohol? Or do you actually like it?”
I wasn’t sure if he was simply intoxicated by the aroma or if his anticipation for the taste had gotten the better of him.
I shook my head slightly and poured wine into Glen’s glass.
“That should suffice.”
Glen lifted his glass once it was filled to the midpoint.
“Pour for the others as well.”
As he spoke, he raised his glass toward Lectar, who sat across from him. His expression was markedly different from before—now openly displaying pride.
His expression was markedly different from before—now openly displaying pride.
“Tch…”
Amusingly, Lectar bit his lip as if displeased.
‘What are these people doing?’
I thought these were truly peculiar elders as I poured wine into Mustan’s glass as well. I then poured a modest amount for Sylvia, Helen, and the other attendants before returning to my seat.
I then poured a modest amount for Sylvia, Helen, and the other attendants before returning to my seat.
Sylvia rose from her seat with a smile, extending her glass toward me.
“Raon, Yua, Julius! Congratulations on your promotion! I look forward to great things from you all!”
At her words, the attendants also extended their glasses forward.
“Young Master! Congratulations!”
“Congratulations!”
“Yua, Julius—congratulations to you both!”
“Please return safely!”
For once, the attendants offered their congratulations without watching Glen’s expression.
“My congratulations.”
Glen’s voice was barely audible as he raised his glass, yet he appeared to be in exceptionally high spirits.
“Then, cheers!”
Sylvia clinked her glass first, then turned her gaze toward Glen Zigheart.
“Mm….”
Glen Zigheart understood the meaning in her eyes and drank first. Everyone else drank as well.
-Ptooey! This tastes awful!
Wrath complained loudly that the alcohol was tasteless and urged everyone to cleanse their palates with pizza immediately.
‘Let me try something else.’
I pushed Wrath aside and ladled stew into my own bowl, casting a sidelong glance at Glen Zigheart.
He gazed at the golden liquid in his glass with an enchanted expression, sipping it very slowly and savoring each drop.
‘So he really does enjoy alcohol.’
I understood why Glen Zigheart’s face had brightened earlier.
Glen Zigheart slowly savored the pizza that Yua had served and the drink I had poured for him. After draining the last drop from his glass, he rose from his seat.
“W-wait, Head of House?”
Sylvia and the attendants stood up simultaneously in bewilderment.
“I believe I shall take my leave now.”
Glen Zigheart shook his head, indicating he had enjoyed himself sufficiently.
“Sylvia.”
“Y-yes!”
Sylvia swallowed hard and jumped to her feet.
“It was delicious.”
Glen gazed intently at Sylvia and Raon before nodding his head.
“And congratulations.”
He left those words behind and headed out of the Kitchen. As he made his way toward the end of the table, he muttered softly toward Lectar.
“I was first.”
“Ugh….”
Lectar’s expression darkened instantly, while Glen lifted his chin and wore an arrogant smile.
*
*
*
“Hehehehe.”
Rimer lay sprawled across his bed in the Dormitory, yawning so widely his mouth nearly split in two.
“I’m bored to death.”
Glen had beaten him so thoroughly that I still couldn’t move my body. It wasn’t just the pain—the inability to do anything made me feel like I’d die of boredom.
“Ah, they said there was a party.”
Yua had invited me to the party, but I’d declined because moving was difficult. Now that I thought about it, I should have forced myself to attend.
“I could ask Raon to come pick me up….”
The moment I uttered Raon’s name, the Dormitory door burst open violently, and Glen walked in.
“H-Head of House?”
Rimer lifted his head, his mouth falling open in shock.
‘What… what is this guy? Is he stalking Raon?’
He appeared the moment I brought up Raon’s story—an incomprehensibly swift reaction.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“When you drank with Raon, did that boy pour the drinks for you?”
“Well….”
Rimer recalled the drinks he’d shared with Raon and shook his head.
“No. He just threw the bottle over and we each drank on our own.”
“What about Dogyae?”
“That time too, we each drank our fill….”
He shook his head again, recalling Dogyae’s three-medicine remedy.
“I see.”
Glen straightened his posture, tilted his jaw to one side, and curled the corners of his mouth upward in a long, satisfied smile.
Whatever the reason, his expression reeked of smug victory.
“Ugh….”
The expression was so irritating that Rimer’s brow furrowed.
‘Why is this old man acting like this today?’
So unlike his usual self, I swallowed dryly and lowered my gaze slightly.
“Did something good happen, sir?”
“Are you curious?”
“…W-well, I am curious.”
Not that I was actually curious, but it seemed he wouldn’t leave unless I asked.
“I was invited to a party at the Annex Building today.”
“What? The Head of House went to the Annex Building?”
“Yes. A girl named Yua invited me.”
“Ugh!”
Rimer clenched his fist as he recalled Yua’s twin pigtails.
‘Yua! You’ve accomplished what no one else could! All my effort raising you has paid off!’
In reality, he hadn’t raised her for even a moment, but he decided to think of it that way regardless.
“What did you do there?”
“We had a light meal. But….”
“But what?”
“Well, Raon poured my drink first—before anyone else’s! The truth is, who you drink with first isn’t really important. The most crucial factor is who you pour for first….”
“Ah….”
Rimer’s eyes widened as he watched Glen, whose pride had pierced through the ceiling and soared into the heavens.
‘That’s it?’
This foolish grandson! Is that what he’s bragging about?!
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————