The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 264
Raon rubbed his eyes and looked back at the lobby. It was exactly the same. Encia Yonan, the successor of the Yonan family who was called a genius in artifact crafting, approached in a maid outfit with her head bowed.
“Welcome back!”
Encia bowed with a bright smile, and Raon’s dry throat gulped down.
“Eh, why is Encia here. No, that outfit. Uh…”
Raon’s voice trembled slightly. Honestly, he had been more flustered than when he met Buwang Roman. ‘Why is this person here? Especially like this!’
Originally scheduled for a month later, and now here in the annex wearing a maid outfit. He had no idea why.
“Waa…”
Encia clasped her hands together and stepped forward. Her blue eyes began to haze.
“Returning looks even more Jonjal. I’m glad I got to see it first. Haa…”
She didn’t answer the question, just shouted “Jonjal” and flushed her cheeks red.
- You’re the only one who makes this king flustered.
Wrath laughed funnily.
- This king wants to shout it too. Jonjal!
‘Annoying.’ Raon pushed Wrath away and looked at Encia again.
“Um… Encia?”
“Raon is beautiful even without natural light. Your eyes sparkle like blood rubies.”
She ignored his words and stared only at his face with that strange taste intact.
“Since I’ve seen Raon’s Jonjal, I don’t need side dishes for dinner tonight.”
Though nonsense continued, her eyes were slowly returning to normal, so perhaps words could finally reach her.
“How is Encia here? The date you said you were coming was still far away.”
“I came because I wanted to see Raon.”
Encia smiled as if questioning why it was obvious.
“Th-that’s right. Then the training artifacts I requested…”
“All completed.”
“All for the Light Wind Squad?”
Raon’s mouth dropped open. The artifacts he had requested were all handmade, tailored perfectly for the squad. Completing that many was unbelievable.
“Using the inspiration from Raon’s face. Work efficiency quadrupled. My hands never stop moving.”
What did I see on my face that made efficiency four times faster…
He couldn’t understand how something on the face could make work efficiency four times faster. He knew artisans were peculiar, but Encia was exceptional even among them.
“It was the first time. As expected, handsome is the best. Ah!”
Before her eyes returned to normal, he spoke up.
“Then why are you staying in the annex? The guest quarters are elsewhere.”
“I wanted to meet your mother who sent you into the world. I asked the guide about it. I’m glad I did. Sylvia is also a beauty not inferior to Raon. Yua is cute too. This is the volcano of inspiration.”
Hearing Sylvia’s praise, he felt good, but there was still something he needed to ask.
“Finally, why the maid outfit…”
“I said I wanted to stay here instead of the guest quarters. Sylvia happily allowed it, but I can’t just eat and leave. I have to work.”
Encia placed a hand on her waist and smiled mischievously.
“Haa…”
Raon’s mouth fell open. ‘This kind of action…’ The successor of the Yonan family coming to the annex and taking on maid duties herself was unbelievable. No one would believe it even if told.
“Eh…”
“Eh? Raon!”
While shaking his head, Yua came out from the side corridor holding cooking tools.
“No! Jonjal Raon!”
Yua bit her tongue and muttered Encia’s unique language.
“Eh…?”
“Is this right? Encia unnie?”
“Yeah. That’s it! Yua!”
Encia stroked Yua’s head and smiled brightly.
“Raon?”
“Master!”
Hearing Yua’s voice, Sylvia and Helen rushed down from upstairs urgently.
“That’s not it. Sylvia. Helen.”
“Ah, that’s right! Jonjal Raon?”
“Jonjal master came!”
Sylvia and Helen smiled at Raon.
“Eh? Jonjal master!”
“Since it’s a bit late for dinner. Go wash first. Jonjal Raon.”
The other maids doing chores greeted him and shouted “Jonjal” as well.
“This is…”
“Even before, I said Raon’s face is a gift from the gods! I taught everyone how to express it.”
Whether fortunate or unfortunate, Encia seemed friendly with Sylvia and the maids. Like Dorian’s level of affinity.
- Fuahaha!
Wrath rolled on his belly unable to hold it.
- That hand maiden is your natural enemy!
“Huu…”
Raon closed his eyes tightly, seeing smiling Encia and the maids calling him Jonjal. ‘Tired.’ The house suddenly felt tiring.
* * *
Burren looked around the Jungmu training ground after a long time and clicked his tongue.
‘A bit awkward.’ Previously he had come every day, but since joining the Light Wind Squad, this was the first time, so the feeling was strange.
‘Did I change?’ The walls with sword marks and the trees that blocked the sunlight were still there, but he felt completely out of place.
“Long time no see. The feeling is new.”
Gelmier, the second brother and leader of the Demon Severing Squad, approached with a faint smile.
“Yeah. I didn’t expect to come back like this.”
The childhood when he only aimed to become a swordsman in Jungmu and receive his father’s recognition flashed through his mind. Now, recalling those memories from the perspective of the Light Wind Squad after being chased out, his chest felt stuffy.
“Disappointed?”
Gelmier approached and asked.
“Disappointed. As you know, my dream was to receive father’s recognition and follow in his footsteps.”
Burren touched the sword marks he had personally carved on the training ground wall and gave a bitter smile. ‘The first time I received praise.’ He remembered his father saying the sword marks were sharp and patting his head. It was the first praise and only pat he had ever received from his father.
“But now it’s fine.”
Burren removed his hand from the sword marks and smiled faintly.
“Fine?”
“Yeah. A place that needs me appeared.”
With the Light Wind Squad, having spent more time with his brothers than before, even the regret of not staying here disappeared. Now Jungmu was no longer home; the Light Wind Squad quarters truly felt like his home.
“Finding your place is good.”
Gelmier patted Burren’s shoulder and smiled gently.
“Thanks.”
“But Burren. If you could come back here again, what would you do?”
“Huh?”
Burren widened his eyes and looked at Gelmier.
“What…”
“If I could return to Jungmu and enter the group you want, what would you do?”
Gelmier’s eyes were downcast. There was no hint of a joke or prank.
“What are you saying?”
“If you do only two things I say, I can put you in Jungmu. Then receiving father’s recognition won’t be hard.”
Burren’s Adam’s apple shook.
“You don’t think about it?”
“Hmm…”
Burren bit his lips. His dream and goal was still receiving his father’s recognition.
Even after going to the Light Wind Squad, that goal hadn’t changed.
“It’s not hard to ask.”
“What is the request?”
“Even if not now, I might return later, so it’s not bad to listen.”
He nodded.
“Raon Zieghart’s weakness.”
“Brother?”
“Since we lived together since trainee days, you know. What is her weakness.”
Gelmier calmly asked for Raon’s weakness as his cousin while saying he would become his cousin. Bold enough to think it was asking taste for a gift.
“Strange?”
Gelmier chuckled.
“Burren. Raon is a monster that grows at a speed that will remain in continental history. Are you going to leave that as is?”
His eyes popped like a snake’s, diamond-shaped.
“If you don’t catch it clearly now, you’ll have to live seeing only his back for life. Only Raon Zieghart’s name will be engraved instead of yours. Do you want to live like that?”
“That’s…”
Burren bit his lips. ‘I know too.’ Better than anyone.
Pride hurt, but now the gap in power with Raon was too large; he couldn’t say he couldn’t catch up like before.
“You just quietly tell me his weakness, and I’ll take you to the place I say. I’ll handle it quietly. Don’t worry.”
Gelmier muttered no one would know and gave a cool smile.
“You need time to think? Training in two days, so by tomorrow evening…”
“No.”
Burren looked at Gelmier and gritted his teeth.
“I won’t.”
He firmly refused and shook his head. ‘Can’t.’ Whether knowing or not about the weakness, Raon had broken his dirty mindset and saved his life. Even to achieve his goal and dream, he couldn’t do such a thing.
“That guy has no weakness! Even if he does, he won’t say!”
Burren frowned and turned his head.
“Since I received help from brother, I’ll keep silent on this matter, but it would be better not to make empty talk. Before touching that girl, you need to surpass me.”
He ground his teeth and headed for the exit.
“Disappointment to brother. Don’t contact me in future… Ah.”
To give the final warning, he turned back, but Gelmier was gone from the spot.
“Annoying.”
“Ah…”
Burren’s vision darkened with Gelmier’s last voice.
* * *
Raon thanked everyone in the lobby not to say “Jonjal” and followed Sylvia to her room.
“Come here.”
Sylvia, sitting on the sofa, clapped the table in the middle as if to sit opposite.
“Yeah.”
Raon nodded and sat on the opposite side. ‘This is it.’ His body shrank as he anticipated why she had called.
“Buwang Roman’s life-and-death duel in three years.”
The words he had thought came out from Sylvia’s mouth. Her tone was soft yet sorrowful, making his mouth dry.
“You bet on such a reckless thing to save others?”
When he worried how to comfort her, she gave a faint smile.
“Mom?”
“You did and showed things I couldn’t not know.”
Sylvia smiled more softly and held his hand.
“You haven’t forgotten what I said when you first held the sword.”
“Hmm…”
As she said. The words when he first held the sword—to show the old Zieghart swordsman look, helping the weak, not backing down before the strong—still lingered in his chest.
“Frankly, I think I said it for nothing. Every time you go on mission and something happens, my heart drops.”
Sylvia’s expression lowered.
“I lived as a warrior too, so I know how amazing you are.”
Through the clasped hands, her warmth melted the worries stuck like spider webs in his heart.
“I thought I had gotten used to it, but this time it’s more stuffy. Buwang Roman…”
Sylvia sighed deeply. With that sigh, her heavy worries seemed to show. ‘That would be…’ The mother worrying about her son who had just become a master fighting a monster who reached grandmaster in three years was natural.
“Don’t worry. You won’t die.”
Raon smiled and squeezed her hand.
“I’ll return alive even if I grab Buwang’s legs in three years.”
“What? You have to say you’ll get stronger and win!”
Sylvia chuckled. What she wanted was safety, not victory, so saying “won’t die” instead of “victory” had worked.
“Yeah. I have to believe. Once I decide to believe, I have to watch.”
She nodded with a brighter face.
“As long as you’re fine. Go wash. Dinner prep will finish soon.”
“Wait.”
Raon grabbed Sylvia’s wrist as she tried to stand.
“Mom, you don’t want to stand again?”
“Huh?”
“You don’t want to fix your mana circuits and dantian?”
Raon bit his slightly trembling lips. ‘What would it be…’ He had thought about this for a long time. ‘Because it’s precious to me.’ Since it was precious to Sylvia, he thought it would be better not to recover and stay in battle.
‘But that’s…’ Same as the mother trying to stop him from becoming a trainee.
It was the same mistake as old Sylvia trying to forcibly prevent him from becoming a trainee. Help, give countermeasures, but the choice was his own.
“Hmm…”
Perhaps because it was a sudden question, Sylvia couldn’t open her mouth easily.
“This is an artificial dantian that can replace the dantian, and next to it is the Spirit Flow Pill that can treat mana circuit damage.”
Raon placed the artificial dantian and Spirit Flow Pill on the table.
“Effectless on mom whose mana circuit is completely broken, but if it’s a saint, it can raise to the level of connecting circuits.”
“Hmm…”
“If mom wants, I’ll try to find a way to recover the artificial dantian and circuits somehow.”
He closed his mouth after that and waited for Sylvia’s answer.
“Hmm. Hoo! Uhuhum!”
Sylvia grabbed her hair and thought for a long time, then banged her head on the table.
“Eh, mom?”
“Do you remember what I said before?”
“Before?”
“That I never regretted giving birth to you.”
“Ah…”
Raon nodded small. ‘Have to remember.’ She had said she never regretted meeting father and giving birth to him. Even now, she said she was too happy.
“Even now, no change in that thought. It’s fine as is.”
Sylvia slowly raised her head. She rubbed her slightly red forehead and smiled.
“But.”
She raised a finger.
“If there’s an opportunity, I want to grab it. Not because I want to become strong, but because I want to protect you and the people in this annex.”
“Yeah…”
Raon gave a faint smile. ‘Same.’ Sylvia had completely the same thought. A simple, consistent wish to protect this place.
“Wait for me.”
Raon clenched his fist and stood.
I’ll make you stand.
* * *
After leaving Sylvia’s room, Raon took Encia to the garden.
“Sad.”
Encia clicked her tongue.
“I told you it was hard.”
“Even if you say that, it’s enough with Encia.”
“Huh? Saying that. Suddenly feeling good?”
She wrapped her cheeks and giggled.
“Hmm…”
Raon clicked his tongue. Really, talking with this person made it twist.
“Why did you call us two to see? I’m always welcome.”
“I want you to look at this.”
He took the artificial dantian from his pocket and offered it to Encia.
“Hmm?”
Encia’s eyes, fixed on Raon’s face, dropped for the first time.
“Th-this…”
“The artificial dantian I got when I went to the dungeon.”
“Artificial dantian…”
“Can you replicate this artificial dantian?”
Encia was lost in examining the artificial dantian, ears closed.
“The pattern on this dantian. Ancient characters. More than a thousand years old. And the ratio is golden ratio. Made to withstand any aura or mana. Noble appearance and beautiful performance.”
She stared at the artificial dantian for a long time with eyes full of shock and admiration.
“The maker of this dantian is definitely a genius. I don’t think I can follow.”
Encia stared at the dantian for a long time then sighed. A rare serious expression in a long time.
“Then replicating is hard?”
“Yeah. Even if I disassemble it, no guarantee to make the same. High chance it only damages the dantian.”
“Then the Yonan family head…”
“Mom won’t either. Originally, artifacts with ancient patterns break inside when opened.”
“Ah…”
His expression frowned. He had heard that ancient items had replication prevention, so disassembling broke them.
“But I think I can make similar…”
“Huh?”
“Though different in shape and performance, I think I can make artificial dantian itself.”
“R-really?”
“Yeah. Seeing Raon’s face and the golden ratio of this artificial dantian, my head flashed.”
She looked at the artificial dantian as if it were possible and clicked her tongue.
“Of course, very long time and many materials needed…”
“No problem!”
Raon approached Encia and held her two hands.
“Ah…”
Encia’s face flushed red instantly seeing Raon’s face up close.
“G-g-g-possible! Anytime!”
Encia’s lips trembled looking at Raon’s face. ‘Too handsome.’ Skin like porcelain, eyes like sparkling gems, nose bridge high like the sky’s moon.
Now not enough with Jonjal. Wanjal. Perfectly handsome. A face that completed more as time passed.
His head spun. He should say impossible, but seeing Raon’s face up close, he couldn’t say that word.
“Please!”
Raon’s bright voice made Encia unable to refuse and just answer.
“Neung!”
* * *
Next morning.
Raon returned the artificial dantian given to Encia and headed to the top floor of the Light Wind Squad quarters.
Only one room above, previously the senior instructor’s. Now the Light Wind Squad leader’s quarters.
Kwaaang!
Raon sensed the inside of the room and kicked the door open. The door flew open, and a chicken-like scream came from inside.
“Kiiieek!”
Rimer with disheveled hair came out shouting.
“What, what! Did you break the door?”
“No. Just opened the door.”
Raon pointed to the shaking door.
“Why open so hard! If open door twice, the building flies away!”
“Rimer does that every day.”
“Uh…”
Rimer’s mouth dropped open. Since he had kicked the training ground door countless times, he had no words.
“Th-the door is one thing, but why here so early?”
“Now we start.”
Raon took the artificial dantian and Spirit Flow Pill from his pocket.
“Huh? T-that today?”
“No need to wait for iron to melt in fire.”
“No! We just returned yesterday. Still recovering stamina…”
“Who uses stamina riding horse.”
“Need stamina even for riding horse!”
“Enough, prepare.”
Ignoring Rimer’s words, he waved his hand.
“I can’t! I have to have a drinking party to commemorate return!”
He shook his head wildly saying he had a promise at the tavern.
“Already drank one. Cancel today.”
Raon looked at the scattered liquor bottles and frowned.
“I don’t like! Even if this, I’m squad leader, where command…”
“Now not.”
Raon shook his head and pointed to the armband on his arm. Blue wind engraved, the mark of the Light Wind Squad leader.
“From today, Rimer is an ordinary Light Wind Squad member, and I am acting squad leader. You heard yesterday.”
“Uh!”
Rimer’s mouth dropped open as if he couldn’t imagine being brought here.
“I received full authority over Rimer’s training from the family head. If you run here, I’ll treat it as disobedience.”
“R-run…”
Rimer ground his teeth. ‘S-so this girl…’ Yesterday, was it for him or for her convenience?
Now his head turned. Raon recalled why he had taken full authority and training rights from Glenn in front of him yesterday. For this.
“R-Raon? Let’s talk…”
“Enough. Let’s go to the secluded chamber.”
Raon didn’t listen to Rimer’s words and gestured.
“I-i-ick! I can’t go! Today I play!”
Rimer jumped out the window in half-dressed clothes. But it was a huge mistake.
“Eh? Why you!”
“Why? The monster I raised called, so I came.”
Dokoe, waiting in front of the quarters, laughed wickedly and grabbed Rimer’s neck.
“Aa…”
Rimer’s eyes trembled. He never thought Dokoe would be called this morning.
“Let’s go.”
Raon, who had come out, gestured.
“Today dantian must break.”
“Uwaaaaak!”
Rimer’s scream came from behind, but he didn’t care.
- What kind of gangster…
Wrath shivered scared.