The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 681
Raon stepped into the audience hall, feeling the warmth of the setting sun streaming through the windows. As he made his way toward the dais, he exchanged nods with Sheryl, Serena, and Trevin, while noticing that the Master of the True Martial Hall, Balder, winked at him once again.
‘What’s with him…?’
Raon let out a small sigh, averting his gaze. This wasn’t the first time Balder had winked at him during meetings, and Raon had no idea why the man kept doing it.
He chose to ignore Balder’s strange behavior and focused instead on kneeling in front of Glenn Zieghart, ensuring the rest of the Light Wind Division followed suit.
“We greet the Patriarch!” Raon said, bowing his head.
The rest of the Light Wind Division followed his lead, kneeling and lowering their heads.
“Rise, all of you.”
Glenn’s voice was as curt as ever, and Raon stood at his command. As he did, he noticed something odd about Glenn’s expression. The Zieghart Patriarch’s usual dull gaze was a little less vacant today, and the corners of his mouth were slightly lifted in what seemed like a faint smile.
‘Is something different today…?’
Raon blinked. It wasn’t like Glenn to show even the smallest sign of happiness.
“Captain of the Light Wind Division.”
“Yes, Patriarch.”
Raon lowered his head as Glenn addressed him.
“Tell me, how does a simple monster subjugation mission end with the Light Wind Division being declared honored guests of the Supere Kingdom?”
“Honored guests?” Raon raised his eyebrows slightly, surprised by this new piece of information.
Glenn waved a white envelope from the armrest of his chair. “Supere Kingdom has sent this letter, declaring that all of the Light Wind Division are now honored guests of their kingdom. They’ve also offered to halve the price of the Holy Water we purchase from them.”
“Honored guests? All of us?”
“That’s what he said, all of them?”
“Thirty or more people?”
“But the price of Holy Water being halved? That’s practically a giveaway!”
“That’s insane! Supere’s Holy Water is one of the best in the continent!”
The other high-ranking officials exchanged confused and impressed looks.
Glenn’s sharp gaze returned to Raon, silently urging him to explain.
With everyone’s eyes on him, Raon recounted the events of their mission to the Supere Kingdom, from saving Hopen and his knights from the monsters to confronting the demon-controlled king. Of course, he carefully omitted certain details, such as the summoning of Wrath and Greed’s appearance.
“Well, now it all makes sense…” one of the elders murmured.
“No wonder they’re calling him a hero in Supere,” another added.
“I thought it was all just exaggerated rumors, but hearing it from him, it’s the real deal.”
“The whole kingdom must have gone mad with excitement.”
The officials exchanged murmurs of admiration, their skepticism fading as they digested Raon’s account.
“However, something doesn’t quite add up, don’t you think?” one of the more critical elders asked, his brow furrowing. “How is it possible that he noticed the presence of a demon before the priests of a holy kingdom did?”
“And how did he manage to fight alone when even Saintess Olga and Paladin Kinear were defeated?”
The direct-line officials, unable to challenge Raon’s strength in battle, began to nitpick the details, their jealousy creeping into their voices.
Raon was about to respond when Balder slammed his foot on the floor, his fists clenched in anger.
“Enough! This is the Patriarch’s hall, not a place for your petty whispers!”
“B-but, Master Balder…”
“I said, *shut up!*”
The direct-line officials flinched under Balder’s glare, quickly turning their heads away in embarrassment.
‘He’s the one yelling in front of the Patriarch…’ Raon thought, raising an eyebrow at Balder’s hypocrisy. What was even more surprising was Glenn’s reaction—or rather, his lack of one. The Patriarch didn’t seem to mind Balder’s outburst at all. In fact, he nodded slightly, as if he approved.
‘What’s going on today…?’ Raon was beginning to feel a bit bewildered by everything.
Glenn finally lowered the hand that had been supporting his chin and spoke again.
“Captain of the Light Wind Division.”
“Yes, Patriarch.”
“Excellent work.”
Raon blinked. Glenn had never been one to mince words, but the straightforward compliment still caught everyone off guard. Even the other officials widened their eyes in surprise.
“Identifying the demon’s presence and defeating the demon-possessed king are impressive feats, but…”
Glenn raised a single finger, and with it, a wave of immense, crushing pressure spread throughout the hall.
“Ugh…”
“Wh-what…”
Many of the officials, unable to withstand Glenn’s aura, staggered backward or were forced to kneel.
“…defeating a demon powerful enough to overwhelm a Grand Master is no small matter.”
Glenn’s icy gaze swept over the officials who had doubted Raon, making them tremble.
“Even if Saintess Olga and Paladin Kinear were exhausted, the demon’s aura would have been powerful enough to suppress anyone near it. It must have been a high-tier demon, possibly even a greater demon. Defeating such a being at your age is a feat worthy of recognition.”
Glenn, as the head of one of the continent’s most powerful martial clans, valued strength above all else. He was more impressed by Raon’s combat achievements than the political implications of his actions in Supere.
“And your division as well,” Glenn added, his gaze shifting to the rest of the Light Wind Division. “Even if the demons you faced were of a lower tier, for you to have slain them alongside the Hell Hounds is an achievement that should not go unnoticed.”
“It’s all thanks to the captain for teaching us new techniques.”
“We couldn’t have done it without the Light Wind Style!”
Burren and Martha both bowed their heads, their faces flushed with pride after receiving direct praise from Glenn.
“Handsome Raon…” Runaan muttered under her breath, blinking as if mesmerized by Raon’s handsomeness, her face turning pink.
“The Light Wind Style… didn’t he just develop that style recently?”
“Yeah, and to think it’s strong enough to defeat demons…”
“The rumors about his new techniques being at the peak level were true?”
“This is beyond insane…”
The other officials muttered among themselves, clearly astonished by what they were hearing.
Dorian and Krein, standing off to the side, puffed out their chests proudly, basking in the awed looks they were receiving.
“Well done!” Balder grinned widely and gave Raon a thumbs-up, winking once again. Though his enthusiasm was appreciated, the constant winking was beginning to make Raon uncomfortable.
“Ahem!”
Glenn cleared his throat loudly, hiding his face behind his hand. Raon thought he saw Glenn’s fingers trembling slightly.
“While defeating the demon was your greatest achievement, the fact that you found the demon before the priests and minimized civilian casualties is also something worthy of praise. And returning as honored guests of Supere is not something I can ignore.”
Despite Glenn’s usual stoic tone, Raon noticed a faint quiver in his voice as he spoke.
“As a reward, I will grant each member of the Light Wind Division a golden token and the right to select a piece of advanced equipment from Zieghart’s treasury.”
The announcement left everyone in the room stunned.
“A-all of them? Golden tokens for the entire division?”
“Is he really going to open the treasury?”
“That’s too much…”
“I think it’s more than appropriate. They saved an entire kingdom, after all.”
“And with the discount on Holy Water, the rewards will more than pay for themselves.”
Some officials seemed to think the rewards were excessive, but others, especially Balder, quickly silenced them.
“And one more thing.”
Glenn raised a finger, directing his attention back to Raon.
“As the captain of the Light Wind Division, you will be given the right to choose two pieces of equipment.”
* * *
With a snap of Glenn’s fingers, the hall filled with a soft golden light as countless weapons, armor, and accessories began to materialize, hovering in the air.
“Wow…”
“Incredible…”
“These are all advanced artifacts. Each one is a masterpiece.”
The Light Wind Division and the officials alike gaped at the display of weapons and armor, their eyes gleaming.
“I have summoned these from Zieghart’s treasury,” Glenn explained casually, as if it were no big deal.
“Each member of the Light Wind Division may select a piece for themselves.”
Glenn gestured for them to make their choices.
“Th-thank you, Patriarch!” the members of the Light Wind Division exclaimed, though their eyes never left the floating artifacts.
One person, however, remained detached from the excitement.
“Finally, something I can sell…” Rimmer mumbled excitedly as he moved toward the nearest weapon, only to be struck by a bolt of red lightning that sent him crashing to the floor.
– *That fool…*
Wrath shook his head in exasperation.
– *I thought he had changed a little, but I guess he’s still the same idiot. Kehklok!*
He seemed to be recalling how Rimmer had saved them from Gluttony, his expression softening slightly.
‘Maybe…’ Raon smiled softly, remembering the conversation he had shared with Rimmer by the campfire.
“Look at this sword! The blade’s serrated like a saw! It’s terrifying!”
“This armor feels like liquid—it moves with you!”
“This earring amplifies your aura? No way, I can’t wear that!”
The Light Wind Division scattered around the hall, examining the various artifacts with wide grins on their faces.
“I finally found a replacement for my Dark Phoenix sword! I’m calling this one ‘Chaos Storm!’”
“Hmph, can it compare to my ‘Emerald Wave Ver. 2’?”
“Sorry, old friend, but it looks like ‘Destiny of Fate’ is calling me now!”
Some members had already chosen their weapons and were busy naming them. Raon couldn’t help but sigh at their strange naming sense, which hadn’t changed since their days as the Storm Division.
Ignoring their antics, Raon turned away from the weapons and headed toward the section of armor.
‘I don’t need any more swords.’
With Heavenly Drive, Blade of Requiem, and the Celestial Shadow Blade already in his possession, there was no need to add another sword to his collection.
‘Maybe some armor… Hmm?’
As he browsed the selection, his eyes landed on something unusual—a thin, cloth-like garment that seemed out of place among the heavy armor.
‘What is this?’
Curious, Raon reached out to touch it, and though it looked like fabric, the texture was hard, like metal. Strangely enough, the inside felt as soft as cotton.
“That’s *Chamcheolpo* [1],” Rimmer said, appearing beside him with his arms crossed.
“*Chamcheolpo*?”
“It looks like regular clothing, but it’s actually an artifact designed to absorb impact. It’s tough enough to save your life.”
He nodded as if approving of Raon’s choice.
“I see.”
Raon nodded, liking how lightweight and comfortable it felt. Its ability to absorb impacts made it the perfect item to wear under his regular uniform.
Satisfied with his choice, Raon picked up the *Chamcheolpo* and walked over to the section displaying various accessories.
‘There are too many to choose from… Hmm?’
As he examined the items, his gaze suddenly landed on something that caught his attention.
‘Could it be…?’
* * *
Sheryl glanced up at the dais with a bemused smile.
“I didn’t expect the Patriarch to open the treasury for them. Isn’t this only the second time he’s done that?”
“The third, actually.”
Roenn chuckled softly as he corrected her.
“The first time was for the eldest son.”
“Ah!”
Sheryl clapped her hands together as the memory returned to her.
“Right, that was quite an unforgettable incident.”
She chuckled, remembering the strange circumstances surrounding the eldest son’s reward.
“It seems the Light Wind Division’s accomplishments are comparable to that.”
Roenn nodded, his gaze shifting to Glenn.
“Ahem, well, perhaps not quite as monumental, but still impressive enough.”
Glenn cleared his throat, turning his head slightly. Despite his best efforts to maintain his composure, the corners of his lips continued to twitch upward.
Sheryl and Roenn exchanged knowing smiles as they watched the Patriarch’s rare show of emotion.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted…”
Rimmer groaned as he rubbed his neck.
“Having to explain all those artifacts to the entire division is a pain.”
He ran a hand through his hair, brushing away the strands that had stuck to his forehead.
“What’s your angle?”
Sheryl narrowed her eyes at Rimmer, clearly suspicious.
“What do you mean?”
“Normally, you’d grab whatever you could and run off to the nearest pawn shop. So why did you help everyone else choose?”
“I’m the vice-captain, aren’t I? It’s my job.”
“You didn’t even do this when you were captain.”
“Things change.”
Rimmer shrugged.
“I’ve had a change of heart.”
“A change of heart? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sheryl narrowed her eyes further, clearly not buying Rimmer’s sudden transformation.
“…….”
Rimmer didn’t answer her directly. Instead, he smiled lightly before turning his gaze to Glenn.
“Patriarch, what was the second item Raon picked? I’ve never seen it before.”
“That item has been in the treasury since long before I became the Patriarch,” Glenn said, his crimson eyes gleaming with a faint golden light.
“In fact, it’s been there for a long, long time.”
“A long time…?”
“Perhaps there truly is such a thing as fate,” Glenn murmured.
* * *
“Ugh… I’m exhausted.”
Raon let out a long sigh as he sat down on his bed.
After explaining everything to the Patriarch and the higher-ups, he’d had to go through the whole story again for the people in the separate annex. His throat was dry from all the talking, and dealing with Encia, who had been begging him for details to include in her next novel, had only made it worse.
– *Hrk!*
Wrath, floating lazily above Raon, let out a small burp.
– *Home-cooked meals are the best. Kehklok!*
The King of Essence rubbed his belly, sighing contentedly.
– *Alright. Now that we’re back, it’s time for some ice cream ball.*
Wrath grinned, gesturing toward the tray of ice cream ball that Sylvia had prepared for dessert.
“Why would Mother make this…?”
Raon stared at the five sets of mint-chocolate ice cream ball sitting on the tray. Sylvia, thinking that Raon loved ice cream ball, had gone out of her way to prepare a whole set of them.
Just the thought of eating them all made his head hurt.
– *As expected of our mother!*
Wrath beamed as he clasped his hands together in adoration.
Letting out another sigh, Raon resigned himself to his fate and began eating the mint-chocolate ice cream.
– *Yes! That’s the taste! The sweet and refreshing coolness, the perfect remedy for a dry mouth! It wipes away all that dullness and leaves you feeling refreshed!*
‘You could just brush your teeth for that.’
– *It’s not the same!*
Raon ate his way through all five scoops of ice cream, setting the tray aside once he was done.
– *Ah, I’m so happy. Kehklok!*
Wrath floated blissfully in the air, rubbing his round belly in satisfaction.
“Now it’s time for me to fill up.”
Raon reached for his spatial pocket.
– *Fill up? What are you talking about?*
Wrath’s eyes widened as Raon pulled something from the pocket.
“I haven’t triggered *Gluttony* yet, have I?”
Raon gave a faint smile as he pulled out a loaf of *Nadine Bread*.
– *What an idiot.*
Wrath sneered, shaking his head.
– *Do you not even know how your own ability works?*
‘What do you mean?’
– *Your *Gluttony* doesn’t trigger unless you truly enjoy what you’re eating. It’s not like Gluttony’s ability! Just filling your stomach won’t work!*
Wrath grinned, clearly confident that Raon wouldn’t be able to activate *Gluttony* with the tasteless *Nadine Bread*.
‘Oh, really?’
Raon raised an eyebrow and took a bite of the bread.
– *Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!*
Ignoring Wrath’s outburst, Raon continued to chew, savoring the dense, chewy texture of the bread. He could already feel his stomach filling up.
– *No! You can’t… That rubbery texture! That joy I felt from the ice cream ball is being burned away!*
Wrath let out a desperate wail, clutching his head as if in pain.
“This is good.”
Raon finished the *Nadine Bread* and patted his stomach, a satisfied smile on his face.
– *What… What just happened?* Wrath muttered in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock.
– *Do you… actually enjoy that rubbery bread?*
‘Yeah. It’s not bad.’
Raon nodded, completely unbothered. After all, in his previous life, he had eaten worse things than this—like wild grass just to survive. Compared to that, *Nadine Bread* was a treat.
– *How could anyone like that?! Let me see your tongue! It must be covered in dirt for you to enjoy such trash!*
Wrath was utterly beside himself, screaming in disbelief.
‘Well, I guess I’ll have to eat *Nadine Bread* every day now.’
– *Noooooooo!*
Raon smirked as Wrath howled in despair. Leaning back against his pillow, he let out a relaxed breath.
A small, intricately embroidered piece of fabric slipped out of his pocket and landed on the bed. It was decorated with a blend of red and gold threads, woven into the shape of a sword.
– *Hmm…*
Wrath, still recovering from his shock, narrowed his eyes at the embroidery.
– *Now that I think about it, why did you pick that thing? I don’t feel any energy coming from it.*
The spirit king’s voice was laced with confusion.
“There’s value in it.”
– *Value?*
“Yes.”
Raon’s eyes softened as he ran his fingers over the delicate embroidery.
“This belonged to the first Patriarch of Zieghart.”