The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 59

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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 59

Upon returning, I abandoned my plan for training and headed straight to the Patriarch’s Hall.

The massive yet antiquated doors of the Patriarch’s Reception Hall pressed down upon my shoulders with a suffocating weight, even though I had seen them countless times before.

It wasn’t the sheer size of the doors that caused this sensation, but rather the presence of an absolute authority dwelling within.

“There’s no need to be nervous. Today, he’ll only speak words of praise.”

Rimer, standing behind me, chuckled and patted my shoulder.

“Hmph.”

Beside me came Lunan’s characteristic snort—unchanged from usual. When rescuing the children, she had trembled with anxiety, yet before the Patriarch, she showed not a shred of nervousness. Truly, she was an unusual one.

Boom.

The doors of the Reception Chamber swung open with a thunderous crash like the footsteps of a giant, and a tempestuous aura surged forth as they fully parted.

I endured the relentless torrent of power that blazed forth like flames from a furnace and stepped into the Reception Chamber.

Roooar!

Glen Zigheart sat upon his golden throne as always, gazing down upon us with an imperious gaze.

“I greet the Patriarch.”

At Rimer’s salutation, Raon and Lunan Slion knelt simultaneously.

‘Didn’t he say this was praise?’

I wrinkled the bridge of my nose. The killing intent radiating from him was far too intense for a simple commendation.

“Rise.”

Glen Zigheart’s voice rang out with solemn authority as he waved his hand.

“Raon Zigheart, Lunan Slion. I hear you both performed admirably on your first mission.”

“We merely did our best, sir.”

“….”

I bowed my head once more. Lunan Slion followed suit, lowering his gaze.

“I’ve heard the reports, but tell me yourselves—what exactly did you accomplish?”

“Yes, sir. When we arrived at the stronghold, there were four locations where we predicted the bandits might be hiding. Though the bandits in the mountains displayed beast-like abilities, we reasoned they would not remain in the mountains to avoid pursuit. So we….”

I recounted everything that had transpired during the mission to Glen Zigheart, who appeared scarcely interested.

He neither nodded nor brightened his eyes. He listened to every word with an embarrassingly blank expression.

“It matches what I’ve heard. Handling enemies without hesitation on your first mission, and rescuing hostages—that’s certainly no ordinary achievement. However.”

Glen’s gaze grew cold and sharp.

“Your approach was crude and improvised. Had there been even a single mistake, had the bandits been stronger, or had your coordination faltered, those children would be dead, and you both would have suffered grave wounds.”

His heavy voice felt like a weight pressing down upon my mind.

“Planning is paramount. Trainees without experience like yourselves must devise contingencies layered upon contingencies before acting.”

“Yes…”

“In truth, had you discovered the trail from the beginning, you should have consulted with other trainees and delegated instructions to them. Your experience and martial prowess are insufficient to handle everything alone.”

“I apologize.”

I bowed my head once more.

‘Is this praise?’

I had heard it as praise, yet only the opening contained a hint of commendation—the rest was nothing but criticism.

“Yet despite the flaws in your methods, the fact remains that you succeeded.”

Glen gestured to the side, and his butler Roen stepped forward with a golden plaque.

“For completing the mission with distinction and rescuing the hostages, I bestow upon you both a bronze-rank badge.”

“Thank you for your guidance.”

Roen offered a gentle smile as he handed the bronze plaques to Raon and Lunan Slion.

“Thank you.”

Raon and Lunan Slion received the plaques with both hands and bowed their heads to Glen Zigheart.

“Ah, there is one more thing I should mention.”

“What is it?”

“What should we do with this spiritual medicine?”

I retrieved the Two-Tone Flower I had obtained from the Seolho Bandit Leader. The unopened flower bud was curled into a tight sphere.

Glen Zigheart gazed down at the Two-Tone Flower for a moment, then shook his head.

“You obtained it, so it is yours. Take it with you.”

“…Yes.”

I tilted my head slightly in confusion. I had not expected him to simply hand over such a rare spiritual medicine.

“Now go.”

He leaned back against the chair’s backrest and rested his chin on his hand, as if he had said all he needed to say.

Raon and Lunan Slion bowed their heads and exited the Audience Chamber, walking backward.

…

A brief silence fell over the Audience Chamber with only three of us remaining.

“Pfft.”

Rimer couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the quiet atmosphere.

“Why are you laughing? Besides, I didn’t even call you here. Why did you follow along?”

“Well, if you wanted to hear directly about how Raon performed, you should just say so honestly instead of making excuses like that.”

Rimer grinned as he watched Glen furrow his brow.

‘He really can’t be honest with himself.’

Since I had already sent the report, Glen knew everything that had happened during this mission.

I couldn’t suppress my laughter at the sight of Glen pretending to scold his grandson out of concern while offering advice.

“Is this your idea of being mischievous, Grandfather?”

“Shut your mouth.”

“Hup!”

Rimer quickly covered his mouth with both hands.

“It seems the Patriarch is now considering Raon as one of the successor candidates.”

“What?”

“During the training period, it’s a time when personal growth takes precedence over looking after colleagues. Yet you had Raon guide his peers—that was for the distant future, wasn’t it? Preparing for when Raon challenges the throne of Zigheart?”

“….”

Glen did not answer Rimer’s sharp observation, merely gazing down at him in silence.

“You seem to treasure Raon dearly. You never showed such affection when raising the young masters….”

“Quiet.”

“Why not be honest for once? ‘My grandson, you’ve worked hard. Come here and let me embrace you. There, there.’ Raon would surely be delighted….”

“Ri.mer.”

Glen’s aura intensified. Tremors began to ripple not just through the Audience Chamber, but across the entire Patriarch’s Hall.

“Hah!”

Rimer’s smile faded as he retreated swiftly backward.

“Hehe.”

Just as Glen’s aura was about to explode, Roen stepped between them with a gentle smile.

“How delightful.”

“What is delightful?”

“It’s been nearly thirty years since I’ve seen the two of you joking around like this. And it’s been quite a while since the Patriarch has reacted in such a way.”

Roen’s weathered eyes glistened with the memories of bygone years.

“Hmm….”

“Ah, as expected, Roen knows what’s going on.”

Glen’s momentum subsided, and Rimer’s smile returned to his face.

“Ah, and there’s something Raon didn’t mention.”

“The Nambuk Alliance?”

“Yes. The young leader there heard Raon’s name and left.”

“Why didn’t you stop him?”

“He backed down first when faced with Raon’s aura. It’s not even our territory, and since he acknowledged Raon, it felt awkward to detain him.”

“Hmph.”

Glen snorted, though he didn’t appear displeased.

“All I wish for in the end is that you would treat your grandson with a bit more honesty.”

“I’ve always treated everyone with honesty.”

“Oh, come now. If you want to be honest, you’d need to be at least this much.”

Rimer put his hands behind his back and cleared his throat theatrically.

“Raon. You’ve completed your task splendidly, and I’m so proud of you. Our grandson deserves a kiss from his grandfather. Just do this, and Raon will be happy, the Patriarch will be happy, and I’ll be happy watching! Everyone wins!”

“Sigh…”

Glen rose from his chair with a heavy exhale. A terrifying aura of killing intent filled the Audience Chamber, as if it might consume the entire world.

“I, uh, I should be going. I have an important appointment—not drinking, but something urgent.”

Rimer scratched the back of his head and quietly backed away, slipping out of the Audience Chamber.

“Tsk. Growing more cunning by the day.”

Glen clicked his tongue and lowered his hand.

“Still, it was a pleasant sight. It reminded me of the days when you two dominated the Continent.”

Roen stepped aside with a faint smile.

“Hmm.”

Glen said nothing, merely crossing his arms and leaning back against the chair.

“It seems this situation came about thanks to Young Master Raon, so I find myself growing fonder of him as well.”

“You may harbor affection in your heart as you wish, but it’s only right to treat the heir and all the children beneath him equally.”

“You speak truly, sir.”

Roen smiled and bowed his head before looking up at Glen. Despite his words, the corners of his mouth were lifted slightly higher than usual.

*

*

*

The moment I stepped out of the Patriarch’s Hall, I headed toward the Annex Building.

I had considered going straight to training, but I thought it was more important to reassure Sylvia and the maids who were surely worried about me.

‘I’ve changed quite a bit.’

In my past life, I would have moved forward with my necessary tasks regardless of who was waiting for me.

But things were different now that I had been reborn. It was right to think of the people who had shown me affection for the first time.

As I arrived at the Annex Building, I heard a loud commotion from within.

‘This is how it should be.’

The Annex Building was meant to be noisy and lively. My heart began to ease.

I opened the door to the Annex Building with a bright expression.

“Huh?”

I opened my eyes wide. There was one person in the Annex Building I hadn’t expected to see.

“Dorian?”

Dorian stood in the lobby, surrounded by Sylvia, Helen, and the handmaidens.

“Oh, young master, you’ve arrived?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Ah, the lady asked me to stop by once my duties were finished and tell her what happened.”

“So that means….”

“Yes. I’ve told them all about your magnificent exploits, young master Raon. *Sniff*!”

Dorian wiped away the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes.

“Young master.”

“Oh, our young master Raon.”

Apparently he’d told them everything—the handmaidens were dabbing their eyes with their sleeves.

‘This is….’

I had tried to brush past the details to avoid worrying Sylvia and Helen, but I never imagined they would summon him directly to ask.

“Raon!”

“Young Master!”

Sylvia and Helen approached simultaneously, their hands resting on their waists.

“Ah, that wasn’t actually what I intended to—”

“You did wonderfully!”

Before I could offer an excuse, Sylvia pulled me into a tight embrace, patting my back firmly.

“Huh?”

Raon’s eyes widened at the unexpected response.

“Did you really think I’d scold you for that?”

“You’re always telling me to be careful.”

“The ancient Zigheart ancestors first drew their blades to protect the weak. Ever since, the Zigheart have safeguarded those without strength and defended the people of our territory.”

A ruby-like brilliance gleamed in Sylvia’s crimson eyes.

“My own aspiration was to become a swordmaster embodying that ancient Zigheart spirit. How could I ever scold you for risking your life to save a hostage?”

She squeezed my hand firmly, and the warmth seemed to melt away my exhaustion.

“I’m truly proud of you.”

“Mm-hmm!”

“I really mean it!”

“I have to visit the Main Mansion tomorrow, and I’ll make sure to brag about you!”

Sylvia embraced me once more, while Helen and the handmaidens nodded with glistening eyes at her side.

‘I can’t quite understand it.’

I exhaled softly.

‘Emotions truly are a difficult thing to comprehend.’

Yet I didn’t dislike the warmth they offered.

‘Regardless, that coward Dorian…’

I turned my head to search for Dorian, but he was nowhere to be found.

-That spineless fool fled long ago.

‘Tch!’

The man certainly had swift feet.

*

*

*

After finishing my meal at the Annex Building, I changed into fresh clothes and made my way to the 5th Training Ground. Sylvia and Helen had told me to rest today, but I needed to move my body.

“Is that the one?”

“That’s right. Raon Zigheart.”

“His build is unremarkable, and his presence is subdued….”

“Still, it’s true that he single-handedly defeated those bandits.”

“Well, Rimer may be boastful, but he doesn’t tell lies like that.”

As I walked toward the Training Ground, the swordsmen’s gazes felt unmistakably direct. News of this mission had apparently already spread throughout the entire family.

‘That person, as always….’

I exhaled a sigh, knowing the Red-haired Elf’s hand was behind this.

“Handling thirty bandits, including an intermediate-level Sword User, alone—that’s no ordinary achievement.”

“He was on death’s door with illness, so luck must have played a part.”

After constantly hearing insults and dismissal, receiving praise mixed with their words felt oddly strange.

But one’s heart and spirit are one’s own to command. There was no need to concern myself with what others said.

I let the swordsmen’s murmurs fade into the background as I entered the 5th Training Ground. As expected, no one else was there.

I warmed up lightly, then drew the blade at my waist. Raising it slowly, I positioned it before my dantian in middle stance. Maintaining this fundamental posture with sword in hand, I recalled the previous battle.

‘I was a bit slow.’

Though the bandits had formed a wall, there had been an opportunity from the start to sever the Seolho Bandit Leader’s neck. My reaction had been delayed by my concern for the children and the bandits, wasting precious time.

What mattered in real combat was how well one could execute their true abilities. This battle could be considered a failure.

‘But….’

Now that I understood it.

Now that I knew what the problem was and how to solve it, I could simply fill that gap from this moment forward.

‘My aura and body are slightly out of sync.’

My body moved as I willed, but my aura followed just a fraction too late.

Aura and body had to move simultaneously, like the two blades of scissors.

Whoooosh.

I steadied my breathing and slowly raised my blade. The aura blooming from my core flowed with the sword. Though the movements were deliberate, the empty air split mercilessly.

Even without moving much, sweat drenched my back. The slow, controlled movements demanded far more energy than usual.

I continued wielding the blade slowly until every trace of my core energy was exhausted.

When my aura was depleted, I would head to the Cultivation Chamber to cultivate, then return and swing my blade anew. My first day back was drenched in sweat.

*

*

*

A small tavern nestled in the Back Alley within Zigheart Territory. Where a tavern should have been filled with the voices of many patrons, only one man’s voice echoed.

“…And so our children rescued those kids who were bound by the bandits. The bandit leader’s blade contains dense aura, but Raon cleaved it in half!”

The Red-haired Elf stood atop the table, recounting the tale of Raon and Lunan like a storyteller. Her flushed face betrayed her heavy intoxication.

“Ooooh!”

“Rimer, have you finally found your calling? You’ve taught them well.”

“No, no—I simply had excellent disciples.”

“True. You’re hardly the best teacher an elf could be.”

Ordinary townspeople, not swordsmen, chuckled among themselves.

“Both! Both! My disciples are now the finest among all Zigheart trainees. No, they wouldn’t lose even if the Six Emperors themselves came!”

Rimer grinned and gulped down his beer. Those who agreed and those who argued that the 6th Martial Grounds and other factions were formidable began to quarrel.

“Hey, stop fighting and pay up for the entertainment. I lost everything betting on the 5th match earlier—today’s my chance for revenge….”

As he grimaced and set down his empty beer mug, a gold coin dropped onto the table with a sharp clink.

“Hm?”

Rimer glanced at the coin, then lifted his gaze.

A man with a menacing face and broad, imposing shoulders—the kind of bearing one might expect from a battlefield commander. It was Methun, the senior instructor of the 6th Martial Grounds.

“Methun? It’s been a while.”

“Yeah.”

Methun nodded slowly.

“Well, thanks anyway.”

“….”

“Hey, you gonna let it go now?”

Methun reached for the gold coin on the table, but his fingers wouldn’t obey him.

“Can you stand behind what you just said?”

“What do you mean?”

“That the 5th Training Ground has the strongest trainees in Zigheart.”

“Of course our kids are the best.”

“You always liked a wager.”

Methun’s eyes blazed with fervent intensity.

“Care to make a wager with me?”

—————
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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