The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 679

“Coronation?”

Raon’s hand trembled as he met Hopen’s blue eyes.

“Then the reason for all these people gathering is…”

“Yes, they are preparing for my coronation.”

Hopen gave a small, embarrassed smile.

“I see.”

Raon now understood why so many people had gathered in the garden. The high-ranking officials present were getting ready for Hopen’s coronation.

“Normally, there would be many tasks to address before a coronation…”

Hopen looked over at the still-damaged kingdom, letting out a long sigh.

“But with the kingdom suffering such great losses, it was decided that filling the vacant throne took priority, so we’re proceeding with the coronation today.”

“I pushed for it.”

Saintess Olga nodded, her arms crossed. Raon noticed that she had even more tattoos than before.

“In order to calm the anxious citizens, we need a trustworthy ruler.”

“Not just her. We all agreed on this.”

Paladin Kinear waved a hand toward Olga.

“Hopen fulfilled the role of Paladin in this crisis exceptionally well. He has the support of not only the citizens, but also the knights and priests.”

He chuckled, saying that Hopen’s reputation had skyrocketed.

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you, Raon.”

Hopen exhaled a rough breath and bit his lip.

“Go ahead.”

Raon lowered his chin slightly, already guessing what Hopen was about to say.

“It’s about my father.”

Hopen’s well-kept blue hair fell messily as he lowered his gaze.

“To prevent the kingdom from collapsing, I explained that my father, Priest Piren, and Sir Danieff were manipulated by the overwhelming power of a demon. If the truth—that they tried to sacrifice the citizens—were known, it would have destroyed the kingdom.”

He bowed deeply, guilt evident on his face.

“I’m truly sorry…”

“…There was no other way.”

“I’m sorry.”

Both Olga and Kinear averted their eyes as they shared Hopen’s guilt.

“No, I think you made the right decision.”

Raon nodded calmly.

‘It was unavoidable.’

It was better for the future of the kingdom to claim that the powerful demons had manipulated King Baurn, Deputy High Priest Piren, and the head of the Royal Guard, Sir Danieff, rather than admitting that they willingly allied with the demons.

If it became known that the king himself had summoned the demons, the Supere Kingdom could no longer be regarded as a holy kingdom.

– *Kehlok…*

Raon heard the sound of someone coughing and turned his attention to Wrath.

‘Why are you being so quiet?’

Normally, Wrath would be throwing a fit, complaining about the demons being underestimated, but he was uncharacteristically silent this time.

– *It’s necessary to keep the kingdom stable. Besides, we were the ones who tricked them with the contract in the first place.*

‘But doesn’t everyone in this kingdom hate demons?’

– *Kehlok.* It’s fine.

Wrath coughed softly, nodding calmly.

– *We’re used to playing the villains.*

‘…’

Raon felt a strange sense of discomfort hearing Wrath’s words.

‘The gods and celestial beings…’

He realized that the concept of gods, angels, demons, and demon kings might be very different from what he had known.

“…”

“Raon.”

Hopen took a step closer as Raon stroked his smooth chin in thought.

“May I ask you to place the crown on my head?”

“Isn’t it customary for the highest-ranking person in the kingdom to crown the king? Why me…?”

Raon leaned back slightly, taken aback by the heat in Hopen’s gaze.

“Because you saved us all.”

Hopen clasped his hands together.

“You stopped my father, who had been corrupted by dark magic. And then, you defeated Silcret, the demon who appeared after. When no one else could stand against them, you fought alone. If it weren’t for you, this kingdom would have already fallen.”

His gratitude shone in his eyes as he bowed his head again.

“If you crown me, I’ll feel as though I’m walking this path with the same determination as you.”

Hopen’s back trembled slightly. He seemed more afraid of the path ahead as king than eager for it.

“There’s another reason as well.”

Olga raised a finger.

“Right now, your name carries unimaginable weight in the Supere Kingdom.”

“What do you mean?”

“There are many people who saw you defeat the demon. The sight of a young, handsome swordsman making a demon that toyed with the king, the deputy high priest, and the captain of the royal guard kneel… It’s only natural that everyone is talking about you.”

Olga shrugged as if it were obvious.

“She’s right, unfortunately.”

Kinear nodded.

“What you accomplished has already spread beyond this kingdom and is being talked about across the continent. Plus, you’re almost as handsome as me, so it wouldn’t hurt to have you as the one crowning him.”

He flicked his hair and smiled.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

Both Olga and Martha frowned deeply, clearly unimpressed by Kinear’s remark.

“You’re hideous.”

“You don’t look anything like Raon, other than having eyes, a nose, and a mouth.”

The two women, usually at odds, united in glaring at Kinear as if they wanted to kill him.

“No one looks as good as Raon.”

Even Runaan shot a glare at Kinear, her usually dull eyes sharp with irritation.

“Ugh…”

Kinear took a step back, genuinely hurt by their words.

“Please, I’m asking for your help.”

Hopen bowed his head again, asking Raon to crown him for the sake of himself and the kingdom.

“Hmm…”

Raon didn’t answer right away. He glanced over his shoulder.

“There’s no need to hesitate.”

Rimmer nodded, indicating that Raon should accept.

“It may feel like a heavy responsibility, but it would be good for both you and the kingdom if you do it.”

“This will benefit everyone.”

Burren and Mark Gorton both advised Raon to accept the request, saying it was a good thing.

“All right.”

Raon nodded calmly.

“Thank you.”

Hopen lifted his head, smiling brightly.

“Prepare for the coronation immediately!”

He gave the order to proceed with the ceremony before Raon could change his mind.

Since most of the preparations were already complete, it didn’t take long for the garden to fill with officials and for the citizens to gather in the capital.

Interestingly, the citizens chanted not only the name of the new king, but also Raon’s name.

“Hmm…”

Raon rubbed his earlobe as he listened to his name being called from the capital.

‘This is a bit embarrassing.’

Although it was Hopen’s coronation, Raon’s name was being shouted louder, which made him feel more burdened than pleased.

Still, he resolved to give the ceremony his full attention so the people could feel reassured.

Since the kingdom was still recovering, the coronation was brief. After prayers to the gods in Hopen’s new name and a moment of remembrance for the dead, it was time for the crowning.

“Crown-bearer, please step onto the platform.”

At the master of ceremonies’ words, Raon ascended the golden platform where only the king was meant to stand. His name echoed through the capital.

“…”

Olga stood beside him, holding the crown with the serene dignity of a saint, her usual fierce gaze softened.

“The new king, please kneel before the crown-bearer.”

Hopen, his face flushed with excitement, knelt before Raon.

– *Kehlok! When presenting the crown, it’s tradition to offer a few words of advice.*

Wrath seemed to be reminiscing about the past as he smacked his lips.

– *It’s your turn to say something wise!*

‘I know.’

Raon nodded and took the crown from Olga with both hands. Though it was light, it felt heavy. The weight of crowning a foreign king pressed down on his fingers.

As he brought the crown toward Hopen’s head, Raon thought of King Baurn.

Perhaps what he needed more than anything was someone he could confide in, someone with whom he could share his pain and suffering.

“Enduring your pain in silence does not make you strong. There are many good people around you. Share your burdens with them, and seek their advice. The strongest king is one who perseveres, even with others by his side.”

Raon spoke from experience as he gently lowered the crown onto Hopen’s head.

“I will remember your words.”

Hopen, feeling the weight of the crown, bowed his head.

Raon stepped down from the platform, bowing to the new king before making his way to the ground below. Hopen returned the bow, then ascended the platform himself.

“I am not someone worthy of standing here. I am weak and inexperienced. But more than anything, I love this kingdom. I swear before the gods that I will make the Supere Kingdom a place where people can live happily, even if I cannot make it strong.”

As Hopen knelt before his people, the setting sun bathed his white robes in a brilliant light, as though the gods themselves were blessing him.

Uooooohhh!

The officials in the garden and the citizens in the capital erupted into cheers and applause.

Though it should have been Hopen’s name that resounded most, Raon’s name continued to be called alongside it.

– *Grrrr…*

Wrath ground his teeth in frustration.

‘What now?’

– *The one whose name should be called is not yours—it’s mine!*

Wrath waved his plump fist at the capital below.

– *Do you know how hard I worked to spare those people? I like being praised too, you know!*

‘Well, I’ll call your name then.’

– *Huh?*

‘Wrath. Wrath. Wrath.’

Raon called Wrath’s name in a drawn-out, tired tone.

– *Just stop already! It sounds like you’re dragging my name through the mud!*

Wrath flailed his hands, begging Raon to stop.

‘Wrath. Wrath. Wrath.’

– *Shut up!*

Wrath waved his hands in exasperation.

“Now that I am king, I will issue my first decree.”

Hopen looked over the capital and nodded.

“Though we are in a busy time, it would be a shame to let the coronation pass without celebration, as it is one of the greatest ceremonies in the kingdom.”

As he clasped his hands together, a soft white light twinkled in the sky like starlight.

“I have prepared a small banquet for everyone, so please enjoy yourselves.”

At Hopen’s announcement of the festival, another round of cheers erupted from the capital.

– *This guy knows what he’s doing.*

For the first time, Wrath seemed genuinely pleased as he chuckled.

– *Forget calling my name. Just bring me some food!*

‘I’ll get it for you. But first…’

Raon smiled faintly as he eyed the steaming dishes being served.

‘I want to test something. Do they have Nadin bread here?’

– *What kind of lunatic are you?!*

* * *

Despite Wrath’s complaints, the food in the garden was nothing short of exquisite, each dish bursting with rich flavors.

– *Kuh…*

Wrath let out a long, satisfied sigh after each bite.

– *This is the life! The hard work I put into sparing those humans was worth it for this!*

He beamed, happiness spreading across his face.

– *Now try that one! Over there! Kehlok!*

Even as he coughed, Wrath continued pointing to new dishes.

“Haa…”

Raon sighed as he placed a spicy shrimp skewer into his mouth, chewing slowly. His stomach was already full, almost to the point of discomfort, but Wrath’s insistence meant he couldn’t stop eating.

– *Next, that grilled beef!*

‘But I’m full already, and I think I’ve had enough… even *Gluttony* seems satisfied…’

– *Kehlok! Kehhek!*

Wrath’s coughing intensified. It almost felt as if he was weaponizing his weakness to guilt-trip Raon into continuing. Since there was no way to examine the true condition of a spirit like Wrath, Raon had no choice but to comply.

‘Ugh…’

Raon shook his head, biting into a juicy piece of grilled beef along with its bone.

– *Kuh…*

Wrath sighed again, his eyes practically rolling back in satisfaction.

– *The texture is tender, but the meat juices are so rich! This is it! Someone call the chef! I, Wrath, will personally commend him!*

He smacked his lips in delight.

‘I can’t eat anymore…’

Raon rubbed his full belly, letting out a deep sigh, just as the system message popped up in his mind.

[You have filled your hunger to the brim.]

[The trait <Gluttony> is now active.]

[First-time activation boosts the reward substantially.]

[All stats increase by 1 point.]

[Your soul’s level has increased.]

[For as long as your fullness is maintained, your stamina and physical recovery will be multiplied by 6.]

A string of messages scrolled across Raon’s mental screen, and his eyes widened at the surprising benefits.

– *What…?*

‘Kuh…’

This time, it was Raon who let out a satisfied groan.

‘This… This is it! This is the life!’

– *Wait, what the hell is this first-time activation nonsense?! Now the system’s just making things up to give you more rewards!*

Wrath was practically seething as he yelled at the messages.

‘Thank you, Wrath.’

Raon smiled, looking over at Wrath.

‘I thought I was full, but I guess I wasn’t. Thanks to you, I learned something new today.’

Raon had assumed that he’d already triggered the <Gluttony> trait when he felt full, but he’d been mistaken. It seemed that to properly activate it, he had to eat until he was on the verge of bursting. Wrath had helped him discover the true limits.

Wrath was indeed an unintentional but generous helper, whether he liked it or not.

– *Just shut up! Kehhek!*

Wrath, who had been gleeful moments ago, was now coughing and flailing his arms, clearly agitated.

As Raon chuckled at Wrath’s sulking figure, a voice interrupted him.

“Raon.”

Hopen approached with a goblet of wine in hand and extended it toward Raon.

“Seems like the food was to your liking.”

“Yes, it was all delicious.”

“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to have such a big appetite, Raon.”

Hopen laughed as he glanced at the large pile of empty plates stacked on Raon’s table.

“Seeing all of this, the rumors about you finishing all the ice cream by yourself suddenly make a lot more sense.”

“Ah, that…”

Raon glared at Wrath but couldn’t bring himself to say it wasn’t entirely his fault.

“I’m just joking.”

Hopen smiled softly, shaking his head. He then looked out over the capital, where the people celebrated with joy, their laughter and cheers lighting up the night.

“I never knew a crown could be this heavy. If I had realized earlier, maybe I could have saved my father…”

Hopen’s voice faltered, and he sighed deeply, regret evident in his expression.

“Dwelling on the past won’t do you any good. The only thing worth bringing from the past is the lessons learned.”

Raon noticed how Hopen’s shoulders seemed to have shrunk and continued, his tone firm yet understanding.

“Your judgment is clear, and you’re a man with a strong sense of responsibility. You’ll be able to distinguish right from wrong while communicating with your people. If ever you find yourself in doubt or need advice, you can always speak to me. As the one who crowned you, I’ll gladly help you through any challenges.”

“Thank you. But honestly…”

Hopen looked at Raon’s sincere expression, then shook his head with a calm smile.

“It’s us who should be helping you.”

He placed a hand on Raon’s shoulder.

“The Supere Kingdom and I are forever indebted to you. If you or the Light Wind Division ever need assistance, for anything, we’ll be there.”

Hopen clasped his hands together in a solemn gesture, as if making his first vow as king.

“There’s no need to go that far…”

“It’s the least we can do. I wouldn’t be standing here, and our people wouldn’t be laughing and enjoying the festival if not for you, Raon.”

With a bow, Hopen once again offered his sincere thanks.

“Thank you.”

Raon smiled as he helped Hopen back to his feet. Behind Hopen, Raon could see the still-damaged road where Wrath’s ice storm had torn through. There was still much to be repaired.

“How is the recovery going?”

“In truth, it’s been quite difficult.”

Hopen sighed once more.

“Wars have broken out in several regions recently, so the merchants we used to trade with can’t supply us with the materials we need. Some of them even seem unwilling to trade anymore…”

He frowned, clearly troubled by the situation.

“Dorian.”

Raon raised his hand to the side.

“Yes?”

Dorian, who had been munching on snacks, quickly ran over.

“This guy is the heir to the Sephia Merchant Guild.”

“Se-Sephia…?”

Hopen’s jaw dropped as he realized the significance of Dorian’s position.

“I’m still in training, not the official heir yet,” Dorian said, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.

“Hopen, I hear you’re having trouble securing the resources needed for reconstruction. Could you ask him for help?”

“I do have some construction materials with me…”

Dorian rummaged in his belly pouch and pulled out enough lumber to cover the entire garden.

“Wh-what…”

Hopen stared at the massive pile of materials, his jaw trembling.

“But it’d be better for the kingdom to strike a proper deal with my guild.”

Dorian grinned brightly and took Hopen by the arm, leading him over to a nearby table.

“So, what kind of offers have you been getting? We could provide some first-time purchase discounts, and maybe even bulk-buying benefits…”

Dorian was already slipping into full merchant mode, not letting Hopen escape his grip.

Raon chuckled quietly as he gazed up at the starlit sky.

‘It’s about time I return to Zieghart.’

* * *

After staying at the festival for a while longer, Raon eventually returned to his quarters, leaving the celebrations early.

– *Dessert! We never got to eat the ice cream!*

‘You two ate all of it! There wasn’t any left because of you and Gluttony!’

The ice cream that Wrath and Gluttony had devoured hadn’t been restocked yet. Even the local stores were out, and Raon suspected it was because Gluttony had swept through them all.

As a result, Runaan had been the only one sulking during the entire festival.

– *Damn it! I made a mistake… I never should have shown that gluttonous fool where to get the ice cream…*

‘Quiet down.’

Just as Raon was preparing to meditate, a light tapping sound came from the window.

Tap tap.

A small yellow sparrow fluttered by, tapping its wings against the glass.

“A yellow sparrow…? Hmm?”

Raon stared at the bird for a moment, feeling a shiver run down his spine. The sparrow’s beak curled into a smirk, almost as if it were human.

– *Kiieeeek! Kehlok!*

Wrath screamed and quickly hid behind Raon.

“Merlin…”

Raon swallowed nervously as the bird smiled at him.

He’d thought he was safe, but now, seeing that smirk, he realized it had been an illusion.

Forcing himself to stay calm, he opened the window. The sparrow fluttered gracefully into the room and landed on his shoulder.

“Raon!”

As expected, a clear, crisp voice rang out from the tiny bird’s beak—it was Merlin.

“When did you get here?”

“You’re asking the wrong question.”

The bird shook its head with a playful smirk.

“I’ve been with you since the moment you arrived.”

“Since I arrived… Wait, what?”

Raon’s eyes widened in shock.

‘Since the beginning?’

If Merlin had been with him the whole time, she might have seen him conversing with Wrath.

Considering that her animal possession magic was subtle enough to avoid even Wrath’s detection, it seemed possible.

“Don’t tell me…”

“I was watching, just in case you got into any danger. And you know… a demon king?”

Merlin’s voice took on a dark, serious tone, sending warning bells ringing in Raon’s mind.