The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 436

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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 436

Glen’s boasting continued until the crimson moon shifted by the width of a thumbnail.

“You see, the most important thing about drinking is who you share it with. Since I’m the first person Raon poured a drink for, it simply had to taste better. It was less like alcohol and more like the tears of the gods….”
“Wait, hold on!”

Rimer pressed his temples and lifted his head with a jerk.

“The Head of House has been talking for thirty minutes now, and all you’ve mentioned is that Raon poured you a drink? There’s nothing else?”
“Nothing else?”
“Right. Surely it wasn’t just a single drink he gave you.”

He waved his hand, thinking that Glen had been invited to the Annex Building for the chance to spend time with his youngest daughter and grandson—there was no way he’d left with only a single cup of alcohol.

“You must have clinked glasses, or he served you food, or you had a deep conversation. There must have been other things!”
“That’s all there was.”

Glen tilted his head, wondering what more could possibly be needed if Raon had poured him a drink.

“Ugh!”

Rimer slapped his forehead with his palm. His entire body ached from the impact, but the frustration was unbearable.

‘What am I supposed to do? Is this really the same monster I used to serve?’

Glen continued smiling, his cheeks flushed with contentment.
I couldn’t understand why the invincible swordmaster who radiated overwhelming pressure even before the leader of the Six Emperors Five Demons became so small whenever he stood before his grandson.

“Please stop smiling for a moment.”
“I’m not smiling.”
“Look in a mirror! Your mouth corners are piercing the ceiling!”

Rimer pointed to a mirror hanging crookedly on the wall.

“Ahem!”

Glen caught sight of his own reflection in the mirror, his dancing lips curving into a smile before he forcibly suppressed it.

“So in the end, you just went there and got a single drink out of them?”
“I also had pizza. Yua gave it to me.”

Glen let out an exclamation of admiration, saying he had no idea that girl possessed culinary talent as well.

“No, wait a minute!”

Rimer cried out in frustration, stretching his hand forward urgently.

“That’s enough! Next time an opportunity like this comes around, don’t you dare show up having only gotten a drink! You need to actually talk to Raon and Sylvia, treat them warmly—that’s how you get closer to them!”

An opportunity like today wouldn’t come around easily, but with Yua around, who knew? Next time, I wanted to restore our relationship more solidly.

“Hmm, human relationships are similar to martial arts cultivation. If you don’t climb the stairs steadily, something will go wrong somewhere….”
“And then you’ll grow old and die! This is the kind of thing where you need to make progress like you’ve entered a state of oblivion ten times in a row!”

Rimer cried out in exasperation, pounding his bruised chest repeatedly. He might need to suffer for several more days, but if he didn’t speak his mind, he felt like he would suffocate.

“That Raon fellow is strangely dull when it comes to relationships—it’s useless unless you tell him directly!”

Raon was more capable than anyone at reading an enemy’s psychology, yet when it came to family or friendship, he was oddly obtuse.
When a slow-witted grandfather met a dense grandson, it was only natural that progress would stall.

“Hmm, I understand. I’ll think about it.”

Glen nodded, saying that if an opportunity like today came around again, he would engage in more conversation.

“I learned some things today. Raon seems to like pineapple pizza. I should probably bring in some pineapple. About ten tons?”
“T-ten tons….”
“He also seems to enjoy beef and lamb ribs, so I’ll have the grilling chef from the Patriarch’s Hall transferred to the Gwangpung Corps Dining Hall.”
“Sigh….”

Rimer shook his head vigorously and let out a weary sigh.

‘Why won’t you just be straightforward about it!’

This man!

I was frustrated that he wouldn’t simply reveal his intentions—that he’d sent his personal chef for his grandson and wanted to place an absurd order for ten tons of pineapples. Such a gesture alone would smooth over their relationship like an iron pressing wrinkles from cloth.

“What do young girls these days enjoy? I feel I should repay this child Yua somehow, but I know nothing of children. Should I secretly give her a gold medal or something…?”

Rimer squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

“Please, just go now!”

I was exhausted beyond measure!

*

*

*

Sylvia rested her elbows on the dining table.

“Sigh…”

She exhaled a deep breath as if exhausted, cradling her face in her hands.

“Are you alright?”

I leaned forward, observing Sylvia’s hands, which still trembled slightly.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Sylvia lowered her hands and shook her head. She hadn’t shed tears, but moisture glistened at the corners of her eyes.

“It’s not because it’s difficult…”

Her gaze turned toward the seat of honor where Glen had been sitting. Her eyes grew distant, and multiple emotions seemed to bloom like the aroma of food.

“It’s because I’m happy.”
“Happy, you say…”
“It’s the first time I’ve shared a meal with the Head of House since I was a child.”

Sylvia smiled softly like moonlight, saying this was the first time she’d seen Glen at the dining table since she was Yua’s age.

“Hmm….”

I watched Sylvia moisten her lips with the liquor Glen had given her, my fingers fidgeting absently.

‘Does she truly enjoy it that much?’

Whether it stemmed from her years as an assassin or her ignorance of her father’s existence, I couldn’t quite grasp Sylvia’s emotions.
Yet seeing her happiness kindled something within me—my chest burned as though I too had been intoxicated by the wine.

-Tsk, tsk.

Wrath tapped his distended belly and clicked his tongue sharply.

-You comprehend only the psychology of enemies, yet remain so ignorant of human emotion. Truly, the Demon Realm suits you well.

His gaze descended upon me with pity, as though lamenting how much I had yet to learn.

-Should you journey to the Demon Realm with the True Demon King, perhaps then you might understand the human heart….
‘Now that he’s full, his tongue won’t stop wagging.’

I pushed away Wrath, whose frame had grown plump with satisfaction, and smacked my lips.

‘How many more merits must I accumulate?’

Glen would likely never return to this place, but I hoped that someday such circumstances might arise again, allowing me to share another meal with Sylvia.

“I’m grateful you prepared everything so thoroughly.”

Sylvia smiled brightly, her gaze turning toward the attendants.

“You all worked hard, and I’m truly thankful.”
“Not at all.”

Helen shook her head with a warm smile, as if she understood everything.

“We enjoyed preparing everything!”
“We’re simply grateful that you enjoyed the meal!”

The attendants wiped the cool perspiration from their brows and offered faint smiles.

“But when the Head of House was present, I couldn’t tell if the food was going into my mouth or my nose.”
“I was the same way. I couldn’t even taste anything….”
“Eating at the same table as the Head of House—no one will ever believe it.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment.”

They seemed completely drained of energy, slumping back in their chairs with trembling sighs.

“Thank you so much, Lectar and Mustan, for matching the atmosphere.”

Sylvia rose and bowed respectfully to Lectar and Mustan.

“It was only natural, given that you are our guest.”

Lectar nodded calmly, remarking that it had been an enjoyable time.

“You are Raon’s mother, so it matters not what you do!”

Mustan, still bound by rigid hierarchical thinking, buried his face in the table, insisting he wouldn’t have minded even if she’d used him for the meal.

“Ah, yes….”

Sylvia blinked rapidly in bewilderment, then shot Raon a piercing glare as if asking what on earth she had done to this man.

“Sigh….”

I exhaled as I watched the trembling table.

‘I need to educate him too.’

If I could teach him to think of me as a friend rather than a master, he might finally be free from others’ judgmental eyes.

“I wonder if the Head of House enjoyed himself.”

Sylvia lightly brushed off the chair where Glen had been sitting.

“He must have been satisfied.”

I nodded, my eyes calm and steady.

“The Head of House isn’t the type to lie. When he said he enjoyed it, he meant it sincerely.”
“That’s true.”

Sylvia smiled softly and stroked Yua’s head as she chewed on fruit.

“Yua.”
“Yes!”

Yua raised her hand with vibrant enthusiasm.

“What made you think to bring the Head of House here? Weren’t you scared?”

At Sylvia’s question, every eye in the Dining Hall turned toward Yua. Everyone was curious about why she had wanted to bring Glen.

“You always said so, ma’am! That meals taste better when shared together! And….”

Yua smiled gently and lifted a fork with pineapple pierced on it.

“The Head of House isn’t scary. He’s kind.”

She swallowed the pineapple in one bite and smiled without hesitation.

“He seems lonely, so I’ll play with him from now on too!”

*

*

*

Lectar watched Raon and Sylvia speak only of Glen, his expression turning bitter.

‘So this is what blood relations mean.’

He understood roughly how Glen had treated Sylvia and Raon.

He could comprehend and accept how much Sylvia and Raon must have suffered, and why Glen had made those choices.

However, I thought that the chasm dividing Glen and them would make it difficult to close that distance easily.
Even if they were daughter and father, they had walked such different paths that it would be hard to grow close without effort.

‘But I was wrong.’

A single meal together. Simply eating rice as one, Sylvia, Glen, and I appeared to have narrowed the distance between us far more than before.

Until now, I hadn’t given it much thought, but I was beginning to understand why people placed such importance on bloodline.

“Sigh…”

Lectar took a sip of the liquor Glen had brought and exhaled a short breath.

‘Half of my blood runs through them…’

I couldn’t say those words aloud.

The inability to reveal my true feelings, the inability to speak my identity—it was so frustrating that my chest grew heavy as if I were choking.

‘What a false relationship this is.’

I wanted to tell them everything right now, to embrace my daughter-in-law and grandson with a peaceful heart, but for their sake, I could not reveal my identity yet.

‘Honestly, I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to in the future.’

To reveal my identity to Raon and Sylvia, I had to leave Rion, but the Lord of Ryeon’s final request didn’t seem like it would end easily.

‘It will be difficult. But…’

I must return here. No matter what.

To make my daughter-in-law and grandson, who have lived such arduous lives, happy, I must do whatever it takes.
Beneath the table, I clenched my fist and steeled my resolve.

Lectar raised the glass with little liquor remaining. Behind the shimmering crimson liquid, the faint smiles of Raon and Sylvia were reflected.

‘Do not worry.’

I will take responsibility for you both.

I drained half the glass and raised it toward Glen’s empty seat.

‘In-law. This time Raon poured your drink first, but next time I won’t lose. Then it will be your great-grandfather who goes first!’

Lectar chuckled softly and emptied a glass that barely held a sip. Oddly enough, the drink tasted the best.

‘Let’s have another drink later.’

*

*

*

I arrived at the 5th Training Ground in the early dawn and warmed up my body.

I needed more personal training time to engrave the lessons I’d learned from Glen and Lectar yesterday into both body and spirit.

—Grrroooong….

It was too early; Wrath hadn’t woken yet. All I could hear from the ice flower bracelet was his snoring.

‘Well then.’

I chuckled softly and drew the Heavenly Sword. Recalling Glen and Lectar’s teachings, I brought down the Radiant Blade.

The swordplay that had been filled with nothing but sharpness like a master craftsman’s blade now unfolded delicate variations through the twisting of my wrists.

The blade of the Heavenly Sword scattered like dandelion seeds, summoning waves of sword force. Endless undulating sword waves carved dozens of scars across the training ground floor.

Though not yet at the pinnacle of transformation, it was a significant achievement compared to before.

‘Next.’

Even after fully deploying the Transformation Blade with all my power, I didn’t lower the Heavenly Sword. I returned to the first form of the Radiant Blade and wrapped myself in the mysteries of the Illusion Blade.

Whoooosh!

The Celestial Sword bloomed like brushstrokes across a vast canvas, spreading a thick mist of blade energy throughout the empty space.
While not as varied as the Transforming Sword, the phantom blade I had painted carried the same killing intent as a real weapon.

“Phew….”

I unfurled the Illusory Sword six times in succession before exhaling sharply.

‘I’m not sure if I’m making real progress.’

Neither Glen nor Lectar offered praise, only pointing out my shortcomings, so I couldn’t be certain if I was truly accumulating achievements.
I felt improvement, but I had no sense of how much progress I’d actually made.

‘The path of the sword is long and profound.’

Though not quite at the level of the Strong Sword, Swift Sword, or Heavy Sword, I had been steadily training the Transforming Sword and Illusory Sword as well, yet I continued to hear only criticisms of my shortcomings—it was becoming embarrassing.
As Rimer had once told me, it seemed there truly was no end to martial arts.

Ching.

I planted the Celestial Sword before me.

‘Then I should try that.’

The swordsmanship of Manhwagong—Flame Spirit—could rightfully be called the pinnacle of the Transforming Sword and Illusory Sword. I was about to wrap the Celestial Sword in Manhwagong’s heat to gauge how much my Transforming and Illusory Swords had grown when the Training Ground door opened and Lectar entered.

“Welcome, sir.”

I lowered the Celestial Sword again and bowed to Lectar.

“Yes. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”

I nodded with a smile.

“Your leave is coming to an end, so don’t overexert yourself.”
“I understand.”
“Then let’s begin right away. We’ll start with the Illusory Sword again today.”
“Yes.”
“Wait!”

As Raon settled into his stance and attempted to infuse the Heavenly Demon Sword with the mysteries of phantom swordsmanship, Lectar raised his hand to stop him.

“Today, I shall demonstrate first. Simply follow my example.”

Lectar didn’t even wait for a response before drawing his blade before my eyes. His sword blazed like the rising sun, painting hundreds of phantom sword images across the air.

“What do you think?”

He wore a smile that somehow resembled Glen’s, commanding me to replicate the technique.

“Uh…”

Rather than watching the phantom blades disappear one by one, I swallowed hard as I observed Lectar’s raised chin. That expression too bore an uncanny resemblance to Glen’s.

‘I’ve only just adapted to his methods.’

Why must the approach change now…

*

*

*

“Hmm?”

Burren tilted his head as he observed the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen gathered before the main entrance of the 5th Training Ground.

‘Did they come to train as well?’

With little time remaining before his leave ended, he’d come to loosen up with some light training. It seemed they had the same intention.

‘But why are they standing at the entrance instead of going in?’

Finding it peculiar, he gestured toward the swordsmen.

“What are you all doing?”
“Shh!”
“Quiet!”
“Please be silent!”

Lunan, Martha, and Dorian shook their heads, gesturing for me to keep my mouth shut.

“Huh?”

As Burren stood there bewildered, Crain behind him made a beckoning gesture.

“Come over here without making a sound.”
“Oh, um….”

I nodded and moved to stand beside everyone else.

“Take a look over there.”

Following Crain’s gesture, I peered through the gap in the door at the interior of the Training Ground.

“Raon and… wait? The Head of House?”

Burren’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth falling open.

“Is the Head of House teaching Raon?”
“That’s right. Apparently the Sword Ghost taught him this morning.”

Crain whispered softly, as if divulging a secret.

‘Why would the Head of House teach Raon?’

I could understand if it were Lectar, since he had overseen the swordsmanship of everyone in the Gwangpung Corps, but I couldn’t fathom why Glen would be instructing Raon.

‘What on earth is happening….’

I’d heard that recently, even the family heads, including my father, hadn’t been able to receive instruction from Glen, so I had no idea how this situation had come about.

“Oh!”

Crain glanced around the Training Ground before suddenly turning his head.

“The Head of House didn’t give the Unit Commander any injuries in the Audience Chamber. Don’t you think he’s teaching him directly to make up for that?”
“Oh, that’s it!”

Martha pulled her head back from the doorway and nodded.

“It’s annoying, but he deserves it. That bastard ended about eighty percent of the Arian Family war on his own.”

The entire Gwangpung Corps had fought with all their might in the Arian Family conflict, but Raon had suffered the most.
Knowing how he had fought, I felt no jealousy whatsoever.

“Still, it’s enviable though.”

As Martha bit her lip, Lunan crept closer.

“Martha jealous?”

Lunan tilted his head while eating a pearl ice cream in his hand.

“I told you not to do that!”
“But you said not to do the meow thing?”
“No, I told you not to use that tone at all!”
“Don’t wanna.”
“Ugh!”

Martha charged at him while Lunan fled, eating his ice cream. By now it was such a familiar sight that no one paid attention.

“Wow, I never thought I’d see the Unit Commander looking so exhausted.”

Dorian watched Raon catching his breath with his hands on his knees, fidgeting with his pocket.

“I never thought that guy would struggle so much during training either. But….”

Crain nodded vigorously in agreement before a slight smile crossed his lips.

“Doesn’t it feel oddly satisfying? I’m strangely in a good mood.”

He muttered that it felt refreshing to see him struggling after always watching him train in perfect condition.

“I’m not the only one feeling this way, am I?”
“Honestly, I feel relieved too.”

Burren chuckled and scratched his cheek. Watching him—who hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat before—now gasping for breath in exhaustion, I felt my stomach lighten as if all the food I’d eaten during the day had finally digested.

“Same here.”

Martha nodded with a cold smile.

“That bastard needs to experience what it’s like to be on the receiving end.”

She muttered that Raon deserved to suffer much more.

“Agreed.”

Lunan raised his hand, taking a step back from Martha.

“For once, I agree with the demon woman.”
“You actually know something this time. Don’t call me a demon woman!”

Martha’s smile vanished as her face twisted into something demonic, and she lunged at Lunan. The two of them started chasing each other again.

“The unit commander needs to understand how grueling training really is.”
“Right. Then he won’t treat us so carelessly.”
“After experiencing that, the unit commander must have realized how difficult training at a different level truly is.”
“Training should be easier from now on.”

As the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen nodded vigorously, recalling their own suffering, the Training Ground door burst open with a bang.

Whoosh.

The fierce sandstorm subsided, and the interior of the Training Ground became visible. Glen had already left, and Raon stood with his body bent like a beast, his eyes stained crimson.

“If you’re here, come in. What are you doing standing there?”
“Ah….”
“That… that is….”

The black smoke pouring from Raon’s mouth made the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen shudder, their entire bodies trembling as if seized by a chill.

“I’ve come to understand something through direct experience this time.”

He curved his lips into a gentle smile, yet a sinister gleam radiated from that expression.

“Just as steel grows harder when struck, people become stronger through hardship. I realize I’ve been too lenient with you all.”

His smile deepened into something far more ominous as he flicked his fingers.

“I’ll help you all become harder steel.”

Raon’s fluid gesture resembled the blood-stained scythe of the Grim Reaper itself.

“We’re not steel, though?”
“Huh?! My vacation isn’t even over yet!”
“…I’m… so sleepy.”

Burren, Martha, and Lunan trembled as they witnessed the madness glimmering in Raon’s eyes.

‘Oh no….’
‘We’re… doomed….’
‘He’s not reducing our suffering—he’s increasing it?’
‘That bastard’s reached the wrong conclusion!’

The Gwangpung Corps swordsmen shook their heads desperately, unwilling to participate.

“W-we’re fine! We should head home today.”
“That’s right. I have a patient waiting at home….”
“I promised my parents… Gasp!”
“Ahhhhh!”
“B-back! He’s behind us!”

They all retreated, but Raon had already repositioned himself behind them, blocking the passage.

“It’s fine.”

Raon’s eyes blazed with madness as he gripped the napes of the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen tightly.

“It’s the first day, so it won’t take long. Besides, I can’t be the only one suffering through this.”
“Y-you just said you can’t be the only one suffering… cough!”
“Quiet.”

He struck Crain across the mouth, then hurled the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen who had grabbed his nape into the Training Ground.

“Let’s begin.”

I drew the Celestial Sword with a chilling smile.

“An endless hell of swordsmanship.”

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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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