The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 846

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 846

“Yes, you….”

I stared at Merlin with my mouth hanging open.

“What are you doing here?”

The ship cabin swayed beneath me, confirming that Cheongpung was currently in the middle of the sea. I hadn’t even arrived at Zigheart yet, so I never expected to see Merlin here.

“I completed the task you entrusted to me perfectly and returned.”

Merlin smiled brightly as she mentioned delivering the soul stone to Glen.

“Your mother and I were truly delighted. She was especially proud of you.”

She gestured as if clapping her hands, saying her ears had ached from hearing so much praise.

“I see.”

I thanked Merlin and sat down on the edge of the bed.

‘I wonder what Grandfather will say.’

Every time I returned to the family estate after completing a mission, receiving praise from Glen had become routine, but this time I couldn’t imagine what he would say.

‘He might resent me.’

The thought that I might hear reproach for failing to protect Rimer and Aris made my stomach churn with nausea.

-Krrgh…

A whimper echoed from the ice flower bracelet. Wrath seemed to have fled inside because of Merlin.

“I’ve heard the story.”

Merlin exhaled softly and covered her face with a mask. Her skin was so fair it looked as though it had never seen sunlight, and as she concealed her face, the cabin seemed to darken for a moment.

“Actually, I was only planning to borrow the body of an animal nearby and chase after the ship, but when I heard what happened to Rimer, I immediately summoned my true form.”

Merlin stepped forward and wiped away the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes.

“Do you want to save him?”

She shook her head slightly, asking if I wanted to save Rimer.

“Can you… save him?”

I widened my eyes as I looked at Merlin.

“If his soul remains, I could create him as a mask or helmet. But….”

Merlin shook her head with a forlorn gaze.

“You wouldn’t want that, and neither would he.”
“Yeah. You’re right….”

I clenched my fists so tightly that blood pooled in my palms.

I truly wanted to see Rimer again.
If I could just see his leisurely smile and carefree antics once more, I would do anything.

But as Merlin said, being resurrected in another’s body through the power of masks and helmets was not something Rimer himself would desire.

Especially after experiencing what happened with Sia and Edgar, I could never allow such a thing.

“Right?”

Merlin nodded slightly, as if she had expected this.

“Then all you can do now is endure and weep. I had no one to cry with me, but you have many. Crying is not a bad thing. It means you’re honest with your emotions.”

She drew a forlorn smile like a senior in life—as if she had experienced the same thing I had.

‘No, she must have experienced it.’

Recalling how Rocta had called Merlin a princess, it was clear she had witnessed the deaths of those close to her.

“Nana, Rocta didn’t meet a good death either. That’s why I wanted to call Rocta back, and resurrect the others too….”

Merlin shook her head, her eyes hollow with futility.

“Now, all of that has become regret. Of course, I’m grateful I met you because of it.”

She wagged her finger, saying that if I was curious, she could share her circumstances.

“Hmm….”

I was curious, but looking at Merlin’s expression, it wasn’t something I could easily hear right now.

My emotions were already turbulent from Rimer’s death alone, so I didn’t think I could focus on listening to her story at this moment.

“I’ll listen later. I promise.”
“Alright. Then at least unburden yourself to me. It will surely lighten your heart.”

Merlin said this and simply sat down on the floor of the ship cabin.

-Hmm….

Wrath, sensing the mood, poked only his head out from the bracelet.

-I dislike the Mad Woman, but that much is true. Unburdening yourself will ease your heart somewhat.

Wrath waved his arms up and down, saying I could unburden myself to him instead of Merlin.

-Tch, friendship is ambiguous, but as the vessel of the True Demon King, I shall listen somewhat!
“Come.”
-Come!

Merlin and Wrath both spread their arms wide, each urging me to unburden myself to them.

“Ugh….”

I let out a hollow laugh and shook my head.

“I’ll tell you once my thoughts are organized. Right now, I don’t even know what to say.”

Watching the two of them, I couldn’t help but laugh despite not wanting to. It seemed both had become people I felt comfortable with now.

“Sure. Do it whenever you’re comfortable.”

Merlin raised her clenched fist, saying she would wait for this moment too.

-The True Demon King is always prepared!

Wrath also shouted that he was ready day and night, glaring at Merlin. He seemed both fearful and competitive at the same time.

“Aris. Or rather, has my aunt woken up?”
“Your aunt? I don’t know anything about that.”

Merlin shook her head, saying she had no idea.

“Hmm? Didn’t you hear that from other people?”
“I overheard it secretly. But since she was in animal form, I summoned my true body here right away.”

She smiled slyly, saying no one would know she was here.

-See, see! That’s why she’s the Mad Woman! She could tell people openly now, but sneaking around has become her daily routine!

Wrath trembled his jaw, saying that’s exactly why he had to be afraid of her.

‘Hmm….’

I couldn’t argue with that.

But hearing Merlin’s words, I remembered someone. Or rather, one of the Demon Lords.

“Where is Rust?”

I narrowed my eyes as I looked around. Despite my current state not being normal, I couldn’t sense Rust’s presence anywhere.

“That damn directionally-challenged woman….”

Merlin ground her teeth as if angry. From the way she called her directionally-challenged, I could roughly guess the answer.

“After giving the Soul Stone to Grandfather, I was going to return to you, but he said he now knew the way and left on his own. He just disappeared!”
“You didn’t stop him?”
“I did! But he said he’d memorized the path and flew off by himself!”

She laughed bitterly, remarking that despite being directionally challenged, he was overflowing with confidence.

-Didn’t the True Demon King say so!

Wrath nodded in agreement.

-That stalker is directionally hopeless, yet thinks he’s clever!

He shook his head, saying the creature had accumulated strange contradictions.

-He’s never been helpful!
“He’s just a nuisance!”

Merlin and Rust cursed Rust together as if they understood each other perfectly.

“Well, with Rust’s abilities, she won’t get into trouble anywhere.”

Since no one knew of Rust’s existence, there seemed to be no real reason to worry.

“Sigh….”

Raon slowly rose to his feet. As he was about to leave the cabin, he grabbed the Soul Reaper Sword resting on the table.

Rimer’s soul might still remain within the blade, so he couldn’t leave it behind.

“You’re leaving?”
“I want to check on my aunt’s condition.”

Aris Zigheart would be in a state where living was worse than death.
Though she usually appeared more resolute than even Glen Zigheart, she had become more fragile than anyone in front of Seif, which worried me all the more.

Just as Raon was about to leave the cabin, gripping the Soul Reaper Sword tightly—

[You have slain two Transcendents.]
[For the first time in a thousand years, you have killed a Celestial Being.]
[You have accomplished the impossible.]
[All stats have….]
[New trait….]
[New title….]

Once again, I dismissed the messages without reading them all.

-Damn! This cursed system…. Hm?

Wrath cursed the system, then turned to examine himself with a satisfied smirk.

-You’re not going to look?
‘Not right now.’
-I see….

He placed his hand on his own shoulder as if he understood.

‘I want to check when I can tease you about it.’
-You brat!

I left Wrath’s outburst behind and exited the ship cabin. Since it was night, only a handful of sailors occupied the deck.

As I was about to enter the infirmary where Aris was, Dorian, who had been standing at the end of the deck, approached me.

“You’re awake?”

Dorian bowed his head and asked if my body was alright.

“Has my aunt woken up?”

I immediately asked Dorian about Aris’s condition.

“I checked the infirmary a moment ago, but she hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

Dorian shook his head and said that Rabawin was guarding Aris’s infirmary.

“I see….”

Raon nodded. To be honest, it seemed better that Aris Zigheart wasn’t awake right now.
I didn’t yet know what to say to her when she woke, or how to face her.

“What about the others?”
“Given the circumstances, everyone was so exhausted they collapsed into sleep.”

Dorian laughed awkwardly, mentioning that the Cheongpung sailors were standing watch in their stead.

“What about you?”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Dorian. This one must be the most exhausted, yet he seemed to be enduring it, which made me feel sorry for him.

“I’m fine. I can’t sleep even when I lie down.”

Dorian scratched his head, saying that was why he was standing watch.

“You’re still troubled by it, I see.”

Raon gazed out at the night sea, which rippled beautifully, his arm resting on the railing.

“No, I can’t help but think about it. Master keeps coming to mind too.”

If I didn’t turn my gaze elsewhere, Rimer’s face—smiling even with his chest pierced by the Black Sword—kept appearing before my eyes. It was maddening.

Given that I was like this, Dorian, who had witnessed everything from the beginning, would never forget it for the rest of his life.

“Yes….”

Dorian nodded.

“That image keeps appearing in my dreams. I wondered what would have happened if I had given my life instead….”
“It’s meaningless.”

Raon shook his head firmly.

“It was a battle even a Grand Master couldn’t intervene in. You did your best with what you could do.”
“No! I don’t deserve to hear such words….”

Dorian buried his head against the railing, tears beginning to fall steadily.

A crybaby who had kept holding back and blaming only himself had finally burst through the dam of his emotions.

“Hnngh….”
“It’s alright. He never blamed anyone.”

I recalled Rimer’s face, smiling until the very end, and gently patted Dorian’s head—just as my master had done for me.

Whoosh.

As if to comfort the two of us, a clear, crystalline breeze—untainted by the sea’s salt—lingered briefly at the bow of Cheongpung before drifting away.

*

*

*

When Cheongpung arrived at the Northern Sea Port closest to Zigheart.

“We would like to accompany you.”

Rabawin divided the still-unconscious Aris and Rimer between two carriages, then bowed his head respectfully.

“It seems we won’t be able to continue piracy anymore.”

He explained that most of Cheongpung’s crew had originally been Zigheart swordsmen, and the remaining members had participated in the war, so there would be no issue with them returning together, and he sought my permission.

“Understood.”

I nodded and rode forward toward Zigheart on horseback.

Unlike when we returned to Cheongpung from the Wizard Dungeon, there was no laughter or idle chatter.

The Gwangpung Corps, Rabawin, and Cheongpung’s crew walked in silence toward Zigheart, each preparing for farewell in their hearts.

At the end of that not-so-long journey, the snow-covered Castle Wall of Zigheart reflected in everyone’s eyes.

“….”

I bit my lip hard as I gazed upon the Castle Wall of Zigheart.
The gray stone barrier that had always been a welcome sight now felt impossibly towering and oppressive.
It felt as though that wall was crushing my very soul.

News of Rimer’s death had surely already reached those within, but uncertainty about how they would react made fear grip me, and my hands trembled.

Turning back, I saw the other swordmasters gazing at the wall with eyes brimming with dread and concern.

Though I was more worried and frightened than anyone, I could not remain here staring at the wall. I wanted to lay Rimer to rest as quickly as possible.

“Let’s go.”

I exhaled a quiet sigh and directed the carriage toward the Main Gate of Zigheart.

Normally, they would verify my identity before opening the gate, but today, the moment they saw my face, the Main Gate of Zigheart swung open and Chief Steward Iliun and the swordmasters walked out.

Clang!

Dressed in black uniforms, they held their swords inverted before their chests, performing the salute of Zigheart.

…

I clenched my teeth and drove the carriage toward the Main Street leading to the Main Mansion.
On both the left and right sides of the street, the swordmasters of Zigheart stood in formation, offering me a solemn and heavy salute.

It was a greeting reserved for those who had fallen in battle for Zigheart.

“Hnngh…”
“Commander…”
“Why must it be…”

Behind me, I heard the Gwangpung Corps swordmasters weeping, but I was their Organization Master. I suppressed my emotions and walked toward the Main Mansion.

Clang!

The Cheoljeon Unit, Gonggeom Unit, Jeongeom Unit, and even the swordmasters of the Central Intelligence Agency, Hyunmu Division, and Jinmu Hall emerged to perform the salute for Rimer.

Seeing even those who normally bickered and quarreled with each other now standing in perfect unity with proper ceremony, my heart ached all the more.

As I stood before the Main Mansion with the two carriages carrying Rimer and Aris Zigheart, I saw Sylvia, Edgar, Dogyae, and Pedrick waiting there.

Even Glen Zigheart and Roen, who always waited inside the Audience Chamber, had come out to stand before the Patriarch’s Hall.

Sorrow and melancholy were etched across every face.

The moment I saw my father, mother, and Grandfather, my chest burned with anguish, and my nose tingled as though tears might spill at any moment.

Thud.

I descended from the horse on trembling legs.

I was terrified. I didn’t want to go forward.

It wasn’t the fear of their resentment toward me for causing Rimer’s death—it was the dread that standing before them would make his death feel utterly, undeniably real.

I exhaled slowly and forced my heavy legs to move.

“Head of House.”

To endure to the end, to bear whatever blame came my way, I tensed every muscle in my body and stood before Glen Zigheart.

“I apologize. It was all my fault—my poor judgment….”

As I began to kneel before Glen Zigheart, he caught my body and pulled me into his embrace instead.

“You’ve endured much. And….”

Glen Zigheart tightened his arms around me, his voice grinding like bone beneath a millstone.

“I’m sorry.”

I gripped Glen Zigheart’s robes with both hands and let the tears I’d been holding back finally fall.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————