The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 654

“You will admit your wrongdoings against the annex and seek forgiveness,” Raon demanded, stepping aside so the Deputy Head would have to face Sylvia and the maids. The ones he had wronged were not Raon, but Sylvia and the maids.

-Is that all you want?

Wrath let out an incredulous snort.

-There are so many things you could ask for! Why settle for an apology?

“Just watch,” Raon replied, lightly tapping Wrath’s head before turning his gaze back to the Deputy Head.

The Deputy Head, like Wrath, seemed to think Raon’s request was too lenient. He grimaced, clearly reluctant to admit his wrongdoing, clutching his severed wrist as he hesitated.

“Mmm…”

The attention of the crowd had shifted, and at that moment, Sylvia let out a weak groan, slowly opening her eyes.

“Haa…”

The Deputy Head finally seemed to resolve himself. With a heavy sigh, he nodded.

“I manipulated a false report, claiming illegal activities within the annex, to justify an investigation. I harassed and oppressed them without cause.”

“And why did you do that?” Raon asked, his voice cold and piercing.

“It was to keep you in check. I thought I could control you by holding the annex as a hostage.”

The Deputy Head admitted everything, his voice tinged with shame as he revealed his true intentions.

“I’m sorry. It was all my fault.”

He knelt before Sylvia and the maids, bowing his head low.

“Sob…”

“It’s okay.”

The maids stifled their sobs, while Sylvia weakly patted their backs, trying to comfort them.

“Ahem…”

The Deputy Head cleared his throat and began to stand, clutching his severed wrist as he tried to make his way off the stage. But Raon grabbed his ankle, pulling him back.

“What… what now?” the Deputy Head stammered, his eyes wide with fear.

“You admitted your wrongs and apologized, but…” Raon’s voice was calm but firm as he continued, “I said to admit your wrongs and seek forgiveness.”

“What’s the difference…?”

“An apology is what you give. Forgiveness is what they grant.”

Raon pointed toward Sylvia and the maids.

“Ah…”

The Deputy Head finally understood, his trembling gaze turning toward Sylvia.

Everyone’s eyes in the arena were now on Sylvia, waiting for her response.

“The annex…” Sylvia’s voice was soft but steady as she looked at Raon, the Deputy Head, and then up at Glenn on the platform. She bit her lip before speaking again.

“I will not accept your apology.”

She shook her head slowly, her voice resolute.

“Wh-why…?”

“If it were just me, I would have accepted it. I would’ve told Raon to let it go quietly. But you hurt my children.”

Sylvia’s gaze hardened as she looked at the maids.

“You exploited their loyalty to Raon, driving them to the brink—denying them food and sleep. If I accepted your apology now, it would happen again. To ensure it never happens again, I will not accept your apology.”

Her voice was unwavering as she clenched her weak hand into a fist, signaling that this was far from over.

“So it is,” Raon said, smiling softly as he looked at Sylvia.

‘You made the right choice.’

The old Sylvia would have hated conflict and likely accepted the Deputy Head’s apology to avoid further trouble. But today, she had broken free from that shell. Her determination to protect the annex and its maids had grown stronger, both physically and mentally.

-Of course, she’s our mom!

‘She’s not your mom!’

Raon brushed aside Wrath, who was trying to rush toward Sylvia, and turned back to the Deputy Head.

“Since she won’t forgive you, I suppose I’ll have to make another request.”

“What? That’s not fair!” The Deputy Head’s eyes widened in disbelief, his voice rising in panic.

He looked to the host, pleading for support.

“No, Raon is correct,” the host replied calmly, shaking his head. “Raon asked you to seek forgiveness, and Sylvia has refused to forgive you. Therefore, the wish has not been fulfilled.”

The host’s voice was as cold as ice as he lowered his hand.

“Ugh… Fine. Name another request,” the Deputy Head said, realizing he had no choice. He bit his lip, frustration etched on his face.

“The complete reconstruction of the annex and its garden. And it will be done with your personal wealth, not the funds of the council.”

“Hah…”

The Deputy Head sighed in relief, nodding as if this was what he had expected.

“Fine. How much…?”

“Ten thousand gold coins.”

“W-what…?”

The Deputy Head’s eyes bulged as Raon stated the amount, his expression one of utter shock.

“What nonsense is this?” the Deputy Head snarled, baring his teeth. “That small annex doesn’t require a budget on par with the main house! Stop spouting such nonsense!”

“I planted the seed of a Sea Dragon flower in the garden you destroyed.”

“That… that’s impossible! The Sea Dragon flower is a legendary herb! You wouldn’t plant such a thing in a mere garden….”

“See for yourself.”

Raon held out the remaining leaf of the Sea Dragon Flower, showing it to the trembling Deputy Head.

“Gasp!”

“A transparent leaf that seems to be made of water….”

“It’s real! It’s a real Sea Dragon Flower!”

The spectators gasped in awe as they beheld the transparent leaf shimmering in the sunlight.

“Ah…”

The Deputy Head stared at the Sea Dragon leaf, his words caught in his throat.

“And I was also planning to build a small magic tower behind the annex, but it was damaged as well. It had a Dragon Heart buried in it.”

“Th-that’s a lie! A Dragon Heart? I never saw anything like that!”

“Is that so?”

Aris stood up from her seat, shaking her head.

“I gave Raon the Dragon Heart from Kaibar’s body.”

“Urgh…”

The Deputy Head’s eyes began to tremble uncontrollably.

‘Got him.’

Raon’s lips curled into a smirk as he watched the Deputy Head struggle.

‘Even if he wants to deny it, he can’t.’

With the evidence of the Sea Dragon leaf in front of him and Aris confirming the existence of the Dragon Heart, the Deputy Head couldn’t argue, even if he wanted to.

Especially since very few knew that Sylvia’s core was made from a Dragon Heart, his doubts were understandable, but he had no choice but to accept it.

“With a Sea Dragon seed and a Dragon Heart….”

“Ten thousand gold coins doesn’t seem unreasonable….”

“Actually, it might even be too little. The Dragon Heart of a Sky Dragon alone could fetch that price on its own.”

“If the Sea Dragon Flower had fully bloomed, it would have been worth that much as well.”

The audience murmured in agreement, nodding at the suggestion that ten thousand gold coins might actually be a bargain.

“Sniff…”

Balder wiped away a tear that had formed in his eye.

“Why are you suddenly crying?” Aris blinked in disbelief, as did everyone else on the platform, who looked at Balder with confusion.

“Because I’ve been swindled too….”

“Swindled?”

“Because of him, the budget for the Grand Martial Hall was…sniff!”

Balder trailed off, his eyes watering as he pressed his lips together tightly.

Judging by his wrinkled brow, it seemed he had been through some tough times.

The Deputy Head ground his teeth in frustration. Despite how ridiculous the situation was, he was powerless to argue against the evidence presented.

“Given the evidence and witnesses, there’s nothing to dispute,” the host said, still visibly flustered but slowly nodding his head in agreement.

“The ten thousand gold coins seem appropriate.”

“Wait! Even I don’t have ten thousand gold coins! It’s impossible for me to pay that much!”

The Deputy Head protested, his jaw trembling as he claimed that even the council’s annual budget wouldn’t cover that amount.

“So, you can’t pay?”

Raon’s smirk deepened as he looked down at the Deputy Head.

“I’m not saying I won’t, but even if I sold everything I owned, I couldn’t raise five thousand gold coins!”

“Then I’ll seize all your assets and move on to my next request.”

“Next request?”

The Deputy Head stammered, not understanding.

“I told you from the beginning, didn’t I? The victor can ask for anything they want from the loser. So, I can make a second request.”

“That’s… that’s absurd!”

The Deputy Head shook his head vehemently.

“Hmmm….”

The host hesitated, clearly unsure how to proceed. He glanced up at the platform.

Glenn gave a brief nod, raising a single finger.

“The Lord has acknowledged it. However, you may only make one more request.”

The host conveyed Glenn’s decision, raising one finger as well.

“My Lord!”

The Deputy Head screamed in despair, but Glenn remained silent, merely watching the duel from above with his usual stoic expression.

“So, just one more, huh? Very well, then,” Raon said, his tone casual as he nodded.

“Killuan, from now on, you and your subordinates will be transferred from the council to become servants of the annex.”

“…What?”

The Deputy Head gulped, his throat dry as he stared up at Raon.

“Do you really think that’s possible?” he sputtered, violently shaking his head in disbelief.

“The Deputy Head and his warriors as servants of the annex?”

“Is that even possible?”

“But the condition was ‘anything,’ wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was a wish from the beginning….”

“But making the Deputy Head a servant seems extreme, doesn’t it?”

“That’s for the one making the wish to decide.”

The spectators debated the feasibility of making the Deputy Head a servant, their voices growing louder.

“Tell them this is nonsense!” the Deputy Head shouted, his voice desperate as he turned to the host.

“Hmmm…”

The host hesitated again, unsure of what to do. He looked up at the platform for guidance.

“What were the conditions of the duel?” Glenn’s voice was calm as he leaned forward on his golden throne.

“The victor can make any wish of the loser,” the host recited, repeating the terms Raon and the Deputy Head had agreed upon.

“Any wish….”

Glenn repeated the words, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again.

“Stripping the Deputy Head of his position and reducing him to a servant is an extreme measure, but…”

His red eyes gleamed with an imposing authority as they fixed on the Deputy Head.

“I accepted the terms of this duel when I decided to observe. If the victor’s wish is to strip the Deputy Head of his title and make him a servant, so be it.”

“My Lord!”

The Deputy Head coughed up blood as he screamed, his voice filled with despair.

“How can you do this? Even as the Lord, you cannot interfere with the council’s personnel!”

“This isn’t about deciding the council’s personnel,” Glenn replied calmly, shaking his head.

“I’m merely honoring the results of a duel you agreed to. Isn’t that right, Madam Head of the Council?”

“Quite right,” came a voice from behind Glenn. A middle-aged woman with a delicate fan over her mouth appeared from behind him, her presence exuding elegance and authority.

Her refined beauty was matched only by the commanding aura she carried, reminiscent of a noble queen.

“Wh-what?”

Raon’s lips twitched as he recognized the woman.

‘Is she the Head of the Council…?’

The woman Glenn had addressed as the Head of the Council was none other than Sihran, the head of the Ohwa-dan, who had been making uniforms for the Light Wind Division since Raon’s days in the Great Martial Hall.

Raon knew she was part of the council, but he had no idea she had risen to become the Head of the Council.

“A lot must have happened while I was away,” Sihran said with a faint smile.

“M-Madam Head of the Council….”

The Deputy Head’s voice trembled as he looked at her, fear evident in his eyes.

“You said it would take a year for you to return… Why are you back so soon…?”

“Someone was kind enough to resolve a few issues, allowing me to return earlier than expected.”

She glanced briefly in Raon’s direction before delicately fanning herself. It seemed the Deputy Head had taken advantage of her absence to target the annex.

“We can discuss my return later, Deputy Head.”

Sihran’s smile was gentle, but there was a sharp edge to her words as she raised a hand.

“Using the council’s power, or the authority of your position as Deputy Head, would have been fine. But…”

A chilling gleam flashed in her eyes, sharp as a crescent moon.

“You should have done it properly. Despite all that power, you’ve accomplished nothing.”

Her tone made it clear she was more disappointed in his failure to achieve his goals than in the evil he had perpetrated.

“M-Madam Head of the Council! Please…!”

“Calling you Deputy Head ends today.”

Sihran’s smile was sweet as she waved her hand dismissively.

“The council acknowledges the results of today’s duel and will accept the victor’s conditions.”

With that, she stepped back, her decision final.

“M-Madam Head of the Council! How could you….”

Raon stepped forward, slapping the Deputy Head across the back of his head.

Crack!

The sound was like a walnut being crushed as the Deputy Head’s face hit the ground, blood streaming from his nose.

“A servant has no right to address the Head of the Council.”

Raon forced the Deputy Head to his knees, making him bow deeply to Sihran.

“Apologies. He’s still in need of more training.”

“It’s quite alright.”

Sihran chuckled softly, waving her fan to dismiss the incident.

“Grrr…”

The Deputy Head let out a low, guttural growl, biting his lips until they bled.

“What… what is happening?”

“I have no idea….”

“My brain can’t keep up with this….”

“Well, this always happens when Raon Zieghart is involved….”

The spectators were still in a daze, struggling to grasp the sudden turn of events.

“Yessss!”

Rimmer threw his hands into the air, screaming in delight.

“I’m rich! This time, I won’t let it….”

Boom!

Before he could finish, a bolt of lightning struck, engulfing the entire betting area. Everyone knew exactly where it had come from, so no one dared to look in that direction.

“Haa…”

Raon shook his head and turned back to the Deputy Head.

“Who are you?”

“……”

“I asked you a question. Who are you?”

“Ugh…”

The Deputy Head’s hands trembled as he slowly lowered his head.

“A… servant of the annex….”

“A servant?”

“…Yes.”

“Good.”

Raon smirked, placing his hand on the Deputy Head’s abdomen.

Zap!

A surge of mana, infused with both Glacier’s frost and Wrath’s fury, sealed his core entirely.

Without Raon’s permission, the Deputy Head would never be able to use his aura again.

“Urgh!”

The Deputy Head coughed up black blood, collapsing onto the ground. His eyes, wide with fear, stared up at Raon, who casually waved a finger.

“Welcome to the annex.”

Raon’s smile was cold and merciless as he looked down at the former Deputy Head.

-Not the annex, but hell itself….

Even Wrath, who had desired revenge, felt a pang of pity for the man, shaking his head in disbelief.

***

The next day.

Raon stood in front of the annex with Killuan and the former warriors of the Deputy Head’s faction.

Thanks to Fedric’s healing, Killuan’s wrist had been reattached, but with his core sealed, his complexion was still ashen.

“You see that?”

“What do you mean…?”

After a night of “education,” Killuan had learned to use respectful speech and maintained a semblance of deference.

“The garden and the house you destroyed.”

Raon pointed to the shattered remains of the garden and the outer walls of the annex.

“Th-this wasn’t like this when we left….”

Krisson, who had his jaw wrapped in bandages, stammered, his lips quivering.

“Are you saying I did this?”

“N-no, of course not!”

As Raon narrowed his eyes, Killuan quickly shook his head.

-But you did destroy it yourself!

Wrath shouted.

-You smashed it all last night! How can you deny it!

‘Quiet.’

Raon silenced Wrath with a wave, then motioned for Killuan and the former warriors to get to work.

“You’ll be fixing all of it.”

“Huh…”

“W-with just us?”

“Who else would do it?”

As Raon frowned, Killuan and the others dropped their heads in resignation.

“The materials and tools will be provided by him.”

Raon pointed to Dorian, standing off to the side.

“Come on, come on, over here! Move it!”

Dorian growled, pulling out shovels and pickaxes from his dimensional pocket.

“They’ll be keeping an eye on you to make sure you’re doing your work.”

Raon gestured to the maids and Helen, who stood on the other side, ready to supervise.

“Ugh…”

“Ah…”

The former warriors of the Deputy Head’s faction visibly flinched, shovels shaking in their hands as they realized they would be watched by those they had tormented.

“Please take care of them.”

Raon bowed to Doqua, who was lounging in a chair, practically reclining.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they work.”

Doqua waved his hand dismissively, laughing as he took a swig from a bottle.

“Ah, the expressions on their faces are priceless. I could look at them all day.”

He chuckled, clearly enjoying the sight of Killuan’s twisted expression, before taking another swig.

Raon smirked and left the annex. But he didn’t go far. He climbed a tree and watched Killuan and the others from a distance.

With his core sealed and the maids watching, Killuan had no choice but to follow orders, digging into the garden’s soil with a look of utter despair on his face.

Raon watched them work, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.

‘Serves you right.’

Seeing them suffer the way they had made others suffer, Raon finally felt a sense of satisfaction.

-You’re only now satisfied? Your twisted nature is something even I, a demon king, cannot handle!

Wrath shook his head in disbelief, seemingly overwhelmed by Raon’s ruthless personality.

‘I’m not that bad…’

Raon began to deny it when something caught his attention. A stray cat approached Killuan, who was struggling with his shovel.

“Shoo, get lost!”

Killuan waved the cat away, annoyed that it was hindering his work. But the cat, with its tail held high, began to rub against him affectionately.

“Mmm…”

Perhaps because he had been tormented by people so much, Killuan paused, briefly considering the cat’s gesture.

But as he bent down, the cat suddenly leaped up, claws extended, and raked them across his face, before biting into his recently reattached wrist.

“Gaaah!”

Killuan flailed wildly, trying to shake off the cat, but with his aura sealed and his injuries still fresh, the cat easily dodged his attacks and leaped away.

“You damned cat!”

“Hey!”

As Killuan prepared to chase the cat, Helen stepped in to block his path.

“Don’t waste time and get back to work!”

Helen quickly tended to Killuan’s wounds before sending him back to the garden to continue digging. It was hard to tell if she was kind or cruel.

“Grr…”

Killuan ground his teeth in frustration, but he resumed his work, sweat pouring down his face from the pain.

“What’s going on here?”

Raon chuckled as he observed the bizarre scene.

‘Is that really a cat… or a wildcat?’

-A wildcat?

‘It looks like a cat, but it’s much more vicious and strong.’

-That wildcat or whatever it is seems to be heading our way.

‘No way….’

Raon dismissed the idea, but just as Wrath had said, the wildcat seemed to be heading straight for him. Raon held his breath, trying to remain unnoticed.

‘It’s gone… Huh?’

Raon thought the wildcat had disappeared into the underbrush, but suddenly, he sensed its presence below him.

“Didn’t I do well?”

Before he could react, the wildcat leaped into the tree, grinning at him.

-Eek!

“Gah!”

The Grandmaster and the Demon King fell from the tree.