The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 666
Raon turned his gaze toward the place where he had sensed the demonic energy. The central boulevard, bustling with people and carriages, came into view.
‘It’s gone.’
But in that brief moment when he shifted his eyes, the demonic energy had vanished as if it had never existed.
Thud!
Raon gently pushed off the white ground with his left foot. He moved toward the central boulevard where he had felt the demonic energy and spread his senses.
‘Where is it?’
His senses, carried by the wind of the Light Wind Style, extended in all directions, but there was no trace of the demonic energy anywhere. It had completely disappeared.
Raon tried to visually locate the source of the demonic energy, but no one seemed to be acting suspiciously.
“What… what’s going on?”
“Who is that guy?”
“A Zieghart?”
“I saw him with the prince earlier….”
Instead, everyone’s attention was drawn to him, having seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
“L-Leader, what’s happening?”
Burren approached with a tense expression, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
“Is there an enemy nearby?”
“Enemy? How could there be an enemy here?”
Martha frowned as if she had heard something ridiculous.
“There’s no enemy.”
Runaan calmly shook her head.
“The Captain just wants ice cream quickly.”
She licked her lips, saying she felt the same way.
“…That’s not it.”
Raon shook his head, examining the expressions of the three commanders. It seemed none of them had sensed anything.
‘Then…’
Just in case, Raon glanced at Rimmer. However, he too was blinking blankly as if wondering what was going on.
‘Even the Vice-Captain didn’t notice it.’
As an elf, Rimmer’s senses were sharper than those of a human martial artist at the same level. If even he hadn’t sensed the demonic energy, it seemed Raon was the only one.
Not to mention, this was the Holy Kingdom. It was extremely unusual for Raon to be the only one sensing demonic energy in a place filled with priests and clerics.
‘The reason is obvious….’
It’s because of Wrath.
Wrath was the king of the Demon Realm. Having been with such a being for almost his entire life, Raon might have become more sensitive to demonic energy.
‘Come to think of it…’
Raon recalled the strange reaction Wrath had displayed when they first looked at the Supere Holy Kingdom from outside.
This fluffy creature clearly knew everything from the start.
‘You knew all along, didn’t you?’
-What are you talking about?
Wrath feigned ignorance, subtly turning his head.
‘That there’s someone in this kingdom with demonic energy.’
-As the ruler of demonic energy, it would be impossible not to know.
Wrath nodded easily, acknowledging the fact.
‘Who is it?’
-Why do you think I would tell you?
Wrath gave Raon a cold glare, refusing to answer.
‘What?’
-It seems you have forgotten, but I am the king of the Demon Realm and the Lord of Wrath. I would never betray a fellow demon, even if they are not under my rule.
Wrath sneered, saying not to mistake him for a human.
‘Hmm…’
Wrath was right. The situation was different from the one with the Flame Demon Lord. As the king of the Demon Realm, it would be ridiculous for Wrath to betray his own kind.
Raon briefly considered threatening Wrath with the promise of no more ice cream, but he had already promised to give him whatever food he wanted for a while, so he couldn’t bring it up.
Besides, using food to pressure him felt too petty.
‘Where could it be?’
Currently, two organizations were capable of wielding demonic energy.
The first was the Black Tower, which had a connection to the Demon Realm, and the second was the Demon Worship Society that revered demons. It wasn’t clear which one it could be.
However, the demonic energy he had felt earlier seemed slightly purer than that of the Black Tower’s demons.
-Hmm, I’ll give you a hint.
Wrath seemed to think he had been too cold and spoke again.
-You saw when you entered this kingdom that the walls are imbued with holy power. Weak demons couldn’t get in, and stronger ones could break through, but that would have caused a war.
‘So what?’
-Your brain is empty. The fact that there’s no sign of damage on those walls means that a demon didn’t force their way in…
‘They made a deal with humans?’
Raon caught onto the implication in Wrath’s words and answered first.
-Exactly. It means a deal was made between a demon and a human.
Wrath nodded in agreement.
-Unlike a monarch like me, demons can’t force a contract. It requires the other party’s consent. In other words, the owner of the demonic energy you sensed accepted the demon willingly.
Wrath waved his finger, advising not to disrupt the contract between a human and a demon.
‘The walls and a mutual agreement….’
Thinking over Wrath’s words, Raon felt like he was close to an answer, albeit a small one.
“R-Raon, is something bothering you…?”
While Raon was organizing his thoughts, Hopen approached, his fingertips trembling as if he was worried.
“I thought I saw someone I knew.”
Raon smiled faintly at Hopen.
“Then shall we send someone to…?”
“No, it was a mistake.”
Raon waved his hand, saying it was someone else.
“My apologies.”
Raon apologized with a slight bow.
“It’s fine! No problem at all!”
Hopen waved it off and resumed guiding them through the Holy Kingdom.
‘Wrath.’
Following Hopen up the central boulevard, Raon glanced at Wrath.
‘If, as you say, the contract with the demon was for personal gain, I have no intention of interfering.’
He himself was practically in a contract relationship with Wrath, the Demon King, so he couldn’t apply a double standard.
‘But if their desire harms others, I’ll stop it no matter what.’
That was what he believed he must do as a human nurturing a Demon King.
-N-Nurturing? Did you just use the word ‘nurturing’ with me? If you don’t take that back, I will never forgive…
“That over there is the new ice cream shop. You can stop by after the audience,” Hopen pointed to a two-story building on their right.
The sign was bright and ornate, the interior was neat, and the ice cream storage was three times larger than the store in Zieghart.
-Kyahoo!
Wrath screamed in delight, forgetting whatever he was saying.
-Can’t we go now instead? There are so many flavors I’ve never tasted!
‘…….’
Raon looked at Wrath, who was glued to the ice cream shop’s window, and shook his head.
‘I really am raising him….’
* * *
In a pitch-black space untouched by the seemingly holy sunlight.
A man, sitting at a worn-out desk that looked as if its color had faded, had his hands clasped and his eyes closed. His lips moved continuously in a neat formation as if he was praying.
Woooom.
As the man finished his prayer and lowered his clasped hands, a shadow, like black sludge, rose from beneath the desk and took human form. It was a young man with striking black hair.
“I told you not to show yourself during the day, didn’t I?”
The praying man furrowed his brow slightly.
“My apologies. It’s urgent…”
The black-haired young man clasped his hands in front of his chest. It was a greeting used by the clergy.
“Urgent?”
“Yes. The Fourth Prince has returned, but he has brought guests.”
“I suppose those guests are the problem.”
The man at the desk nodded calmly.
“Raon Zieghart. The monster known by the name of ‘Dragonslayer’ has come with the Light Wind Division.”
The young man with black hair lifted his gaze as he mentioned Raon’s name.
“And why is that?”
The man sitting at the desk remained unperturbed, even upon hearing Raon’s name. However, the darkness swelling in his eyes surged violently.
“We don’t know the exact reason, but it seems he saved the Fourth Prince’s life at Mount Dyburn. The monster king that was said to be born there turned out to be stronger than expected.”
The young man recounted what Hopen had told the people.
“…I see.”
The man nodded indifferently, even after hearing that the Fourth Prince barely survived.
“The Light Wind Division does not only include Raon Zieghart but also Rimmer the Light Sword. The commanders have also reached the Master level. With the Great Ritual less than a week away, if the Light Wind Division remains here until then, there could be problems.”
The young man furrowed his brow, seemingly concerned.
“Raon Zieghart and the Light Wind Division…”
The man drummed his blunt fingers on the desk. A gradually eerie sound began to emanate from the surface.
“This might actually be a good thing.”
He clasped the hands he had been drumming on the desk.
“I’ll use Raon Zieghart and the Light Wind Division as sacrifices.”
“What?”
The young man’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“But… but…”
“They won’t be able to exert their full strength within the barrier anyway.”
“That’s not the issue! If we lose contact with the Light Wind Division, Zieghart might move.”
“Don’t worry.”
The man turned his back. He licked his lips as he gazed at a black flame burning on a shadowy wall.
“That won’t happen.”
* * *
Raon sat on the bed in the guest room provided by Hopen, rubbing the calluses on his fingers.
‘As expected, there’s no clear answer unless I test it.’
Wrath’s hint had given him a clue, but he needed more evidence to be certain.
-What do you mean there’s no clear answer?
Wrath shook his head, saying it was nonsense.
-Stop talking nonsense and let’s go get some ice cream! You’re not going to back out of buying it now, are you?
Wrath’s eyes twitched anxiously as he licked his lips.
‘I’m not that petty.’
-Then, right away….
‘But we should greet the ruler of this place first.’
-As soon as I set foot on this land, I became its ruler!
Wrath flicked his finger, saying Raon should greet him.
‘…….’
Raon shook his head, finding it too tiresome to even argue.
-Humans are so annoying in this regard! Greeting the king, greeting the nobles. This is some holy kingdom or something, isn’t it? Shouldn’t we go see the pope too?
‘No need for that.’
Raon shook his head calmly.
‘Supere Kingdom practices theocracy. The king is also the high priest.’
In the Supere Kingdom, there was no pope. The king also served as the high priest, offering prayers to the deity.
-Oh, that’s pretty convenient.
Wrath nodded, saying it seemed like they understood how to make things easier.
Knock, knock.
As Raon chuckled, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened cautiously, and Hopen stepped inside, bowing his head.
“The audience has been granted. Let’s go.”
“Understood.”
Raon donned his black dragon robe again and stepped out of the guest room. The Light Wind Division was already waiting outside.
“What kind of person is the king of the Holy Kingdom?”
Martha licked her lips, her curiosity piqued.
“I heard he’s a very benevolent person.”
Burren’s eyes shone with anticipation as he mentioned the king’s reputation for kindness.
“Yes, he’s kind.”
Runaan nodded.
“Huh?”
“You know the Supere Kingdom’s king?”
“You?”
The entire Light Wind Division turned to look at Runaan, blinking.
“No.”
Runaan shook her head without a moment’s hesitation.
“Then why did you say he’s kind?”
“Because the ice cream shop is big.”
She raised her innocent eyes confidently.
“Oh…”
“Of course.”
The Light Wind Division sighed, saying they shouldn’t have been surprised.
-That’s right! How dare those fools mock our ice cream girl!
Wrath waved his hand frantically, agreeing with Runaan.
“Enough with the nonsense.”
Raon stood before the Light Wind Division, frowning.
“When you meet His Majesty, be sure to show proper respect.”
“Don’t worry….”
“You know us!”
Martha and Krein raised their fists confidently.
‘You two are the biggest concern.’
Raon sighed inwardly and looked at Hopen.
“Let’s go.”
“Understood.”
Hopen smiled lightly and led the way to the royal castle.
Underneath the towering spires stood a large, diamond-shaped temple.
The building, which had been visible even from outside, was the royal castle. Its pale gray walls made it appear even more sacred.
As they had been informed in advance, the castle’s main gate was open, and the knights guarding it quietly bowed their heads.
Raon nodded in response to the knights and entered the castle.
Inside, unlike the exterior, the walls were a warm white, and gold leaf adorned them, giving the place a luxurious feel.
“Your Highness!”
As they walked along the blue carpet leading to the audience chamber, an elderly cleric wearing a gold scarf approached Hopen.
“I’m glad to see you returned safely.”
The elderly cleric bowed, saying it was by the grace of the deity.
“Ah, Priest Pirn!”
Hopen smiled brightly and returned the greeting.
“Thanks to them, I was able to return safely.”
“And who are these people…?”
“These are the ones I met during the mission….”
He briefly explained the events on the mountain, now familiar with recounting it.
“Oh! So that’s what happened!”
Priest Pirn clasped his hands together and bowed toward the Light Wind Division.
“Thank you for saving His Highness!”
“It was nothing. But…”
Raon blinked, turning to Hopen.
“Did you say ‘His Highness’?”
“Ah, didn’t he tell you?”
Priest Pirn blinked at Hopen.
“This gentleman is the Fourth Prince of our Supere Kingdom.”
“Fourth Prince?”
Raon’s mouth fell open as he looked at Hopen.
“H-Hopen was a prince?”
“We had no idea….”
“What kind of prince is so humble!”
“I thought he was self-made!”
The Light Wind Division exhaled, clearly surprised, having conversed with Hopen.
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to deceive you. As I mentioned before, status isn’t particularly important to us.”
Hopen scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.
“Hmm…”
Raon nodded, looking at Hopen.
‘That’s true.’
Whether when they met in Varene or on the mountain, Hopen had always been the same.
He never displayed any princely behavior; he lived solely as a holy knight. He adhered to the doctrine more faithfully than anyone else.
‘So that’s why we were granted an audience so quickly.’
Even though they hadn’t informed anyone in advance, they were immediately granted an audience. It seemed to be thanks to Hopen’s status.
“Ah, it seems I’ve detained you for too long. Let’s proceed.”
Priest Pirn said he had also been invited to the audience chamber and stepped forward.
Raon and Hopen nodded and followed him.
“Now that you know I’m a prince, I should tell you….”
Hopen looked at Raon, lowering his gaze slightly.
“Sir Vitan, whom we met in Barene, is my older brother.”
“Ah…”
Raon nodded, looking at Hopen. He hadn’t known he was a prince or that Vitan and Hopen were brothers. He thought he was not one to rely on the prestige of his family, but this situation was on a different level.
‘What an interesting family.’
As they walked, Raon chuckled, and soon, they arrived before the audience chamber.
Priest Pirn bowed before the chamber, and the holy knights stepped aside. The white door opened soundlessly, accompanied by a warm light.
Whoooosh!
The sacred images of the deity carved on the windows poured in, bathed in sunlight. It was a divine space where it wouldn’t be surprising if a god descended at any moment.
Before the spotless pillars stood high-ranking clerics with their hands clasped together.
Interestingly, about half of them were young men and women, each with a unique appearance and temperament.
However, they were all surrounded by a tremendous holy power. It felt as if they were standing before the sea.
“I shall take my leave now.”
Priest Pirn bowed and then moved to stand at the innermost position, clasping his hands together.
On the opposite side stood an old knight in silver armor, exuding a dignified aura of strength. He was a Grand Master-level knight.
Next to him was a young blonde knight leaning against a pillar, standing upright. He was a holy knight with even more formidable holy power than Hopen.
Finally, Raon’s gaze fell on a man standing on a very low platform in the center.
Like Hopen, he was a middle-aged man with light blue hair, his gentle eyes appearing on the verge of tears.
This man was likely Bauren, the king of the Supere Holy Kingdom.
Step.
Raon walked across the blue carpet laid out in the audience chamber, his presence filled with a regal, overwhelming aura. His steps carried the dignity of a conqueror.
As all eyes, including those of the king, the royal guards, and the high-ranking clerics, converged on him, Raon unleashed his wrath. The emotion of the Demon King, distinct from demonic energy, distorted the sacredness filling the audience chamber.
Voooom!
At that moment, a faint tremor resonated within the audience chamber as if responding to his wrath. Though he couldn’t pinpoint the location, it was a primal vibration from a demon, different from demonic energy.
-What are you doing…?
Wrath widened his eyes, wondering what Raon was up to.
‘Just as I thought.’
Standing at the center of the audience chamber, Raon curved his lips.
‘There’s a human in here who has made a pact with a demon.’
Among the king, high-ranking clerics, royal guards, and the holy knight commander gathered in this room, a corrupted individual with a demonic pact was hiding.