The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 833

 Chapter 833

 

"This is a proposal, right? You’re asking me to marry you, right?"

Merlin shouted with joy and jumped around excitedly. Of course, she was still in the body of a baby sea otter.

"Alright. I'll stay with you for the rest of my life."

Lust also seemed to take his trust as a proposal, opening a pink current and revealing a peerless beauty that seemed to erase the gloom of the night.

"Uh…?"

Raon stepped back and gulped dryly. He only said he trusted them, but he couldn't understand why it turned into a proposal.

You idiot! The number one thing you shouldn't say to madwomen like those two is that you trust them!

Wrath shouted that Raon had planted the seed of destruction and shook his head.

'But even so, isn't it strange to suddenly jump to marriage?!'

You entrusted your most important item to them and said you trusted them, so of course they'd take it as a proposal! Stop thinking of those madwomen as normal people!

Wrath thumped his own chest in frustration.

'So, it's my fault? Even though I'm the one being stalked?'

Yes, it's entirely your fault!

‘Ugh….’

All he did was forgive his stalkers and tell them he trusted them, but hearing that it was his fault made him laugh in disbelief.

But seeing the looks in Merlin’s and Lust’s eyes, he clearly felt that he had made a mistake.

"Where should the wedding be? I'm okay with a small place. I don’t have any friends to invite, anyway."

Merlin smiled brightly as she mentioned having no friends.

"I want a grand place. If we are to call all your and my subordinates, we’ll have to turn that entire house into the wedding hall."

Lust's pink eyes gleamed as if she planned to turn the Zieghart estate into the wedding hall.

"Oh, wait, I do have animal friends! You’ve met them before, right?"

Merlin smiled softly, saying she could invite her animal friends.

"Ah…."

Raon pressed his lips together tightly as he looked at Merlin and Lust's dreamy expressions.

‘We can’t communicate.’

The two were so lost in their own imaginations that they weren't listening to anything from the outside. A chill ran down his spine.

"L-Let's calm down for a moment. What I meant wasn't like that."

Raon raised both hands to block Merlin and Lust's view.

"It wasn't like that? Then what did you mean?"

Merlin looked at the soul stone in her hand and spoke in a dry tone as if in a drought.

"…Tell me."

Lust tilted her chin, her warm pink eyes now frozen cold.

"Um…."

Raon sighed inwardly as he faced Merlin and Lust's gazes.

He felt a sense of crisis, knowing that one wrong word here could sink the entire ship. The tension he felt was greater than when fighting two apostles.

‘Alright. Let’s turn this around.’

After simulating the conversation in his mind, he slowly opened his mouth.

"As you both know, this soul stone is more precious to me than my own life. It’s the only way to save my people."

He lowered his voice and held out the soul stone toward Merlin and Lust.

"And right now, the only ones I can entrust this soul stone to are you two."

He glanced at Merlin and Lust in turn and twisted his lips slightly.

"I trusted you and was about to entrust this soul stone to you, but I'm truly disappointed with your response. Instead of discussing how to handle it properly, you're talking about something else entirely. I must have misjudged you two."

He shook his head slightly, as if genuinely disappointed.

"No, no! I’m sorry!"

Merlin immediately lowered her head and apologized.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t consider that it should come first…."

Lust also admitted her mistake and lowered her eyebrows.

"Really?"

Raon imitated Wrath’s tone as he glared coldly at Merlin and Lust.

"Yes! I'll do whatever it takes to deliver it to your grandfather!"

Merlin clasped her hands, saying she would do anything to get it to Glenn.

"Trust me."

Lust pressed her lips tightly, vowing to protect the soul stone no matter who came after it.

"…Alright. Then I'll trust you one more time."

Raon nodded slightly and handed over the soul stone again.

Wh-What just happened….

Wrath widened his eyes in disbelief.

They were crazed about marriage just now, so how did they suddenly…?

‘They seemed to really enjoy earning my trust, so I thought they’d react like that if I tried to take it away.’

Merlin and Lust, who had only one-sidedly followed him, were receiving Raon's trust for the first time. And since this involved the most important item, he predicted they would panic and apologize if they thought they'd lose its value.

'But who should I give it to?'

There was only one soul stone, so he had to choose between the two. Merlin was more trustworthy, but Lust was stronger, making the decision difficult.

On top of that, giving it to one might disappoint the other, making his head ache even more.

'How do I solve this…?'

While biting his lip and pondering, Merlin put down the stone she had been cracking open and reached out her hand.

"Give it to me. She's bad with directions, so it'll be better if she follows me."

Merlin nodded, saying she should be the one to take it.

"Um…."

Lust let out a groan, unable to refute the claim about her poor sense of direction.

'Bad with directions?'

He told you before! She's terrible at finding her way! She gets lost and isn't even there when it matters!

'Ah, right.'

Now that he thought about it, Wrath had mentioned Lust's poor sense of direction when talking about her before.

"She’s absolutely terrible. Even when it’s just straight ahead, she suddenly ends up going backward!"

Merlin shook her head, saying Lust wouldn't have made it here without her.

"I-It's not that bad…."

Lust weakly protested, avoiding eye contact.

"Alright then. Merlin will take it, and Lust, you protect her."

Raon smiled faintly and handed the soul stone to Merlin.

" And there’s no need to consume your souls to transport it. It’s okay to go slowly, as long as it’s safe."

"Okay!"

"Understood…."

Merlin and Lust's delicate eyes sparkled as if deeply moved by his concern.

"Then, I'm counting on you."

Raon clasped his hands and nodded toward Merlin and Lust.

"Trust us. And…."

Merlin, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly revealed a chilling look.

"The words you left unfinished just now—once this matter is done, you can finish saying them, right?"

She smiled with a madness-laced grin, showing no intention of letting it go.

"After delivering the soul stone, I’ll listen in detail. Very thoroughly."

Lust repeated the word ‘thoroughly,’ her gaze turning cold as if she would kidnap him if he refused to talk.

"……."

The two briefly exchanged glances before vanishing into the sea, shrouded in night.

SPLASH!

Raon gulped dryly as he stared at the waves crashing before him.

'They didn't forget, huh?'

Puhahaha!

Wrath laughed uproariously, saying he knew this would happen.

You acted so smart, but all you did was buy some time!

Wrath mocked Raon, waving his hand teasingly.

'Why are you laughing?'

Because it's funny….

'This isn't just my problem. Lust is chasing you, not me.'

Uh….

Wrath's frozen smile finally broke as he realized he was also tangled in this mess.

W-What are we going to do now, damn you!

He grabbed Raon by the collar and shook him, asking why he kept causing trouble.

‘Maybe the future Raon and Wrath will solve future problems?’

Raon chuckled lightly, saying they'd figure it out later.

That's ridiculous!

Wrath threw punches, demanding that he come up with a solution immediately.

'It'll work out somehow. For now, there's something more important to do.'

Raon turned around, enduring Wrath’s punches.

"Why didn't you stop them?"

He addressed the silent figure hidden in the shadows on the deck.

"Vice division leader?"

At the mention of vice division leader, Rimmer emerged from the shadow of the sail cast by the moonlight.

Even though he had been watching the entire situation from the beginning, he hadn’t said a single word.

Raon had expected him to intervene, so his silence was quite surprising.

"How could a vice leader stop the leader?"

Rimmer shrugged his shoulders with his usual relaxed smile.

“Only someone as disrespectful as you would dare to do something like that.”

He laughed, saying he was just a powerless old man.

“Even so, I didn’t think you would just stand by and watch me entrust the soul stone to Merlin.”

Raon slightly lowered his gaze. While Rimmer often showed a lazy and carefree attitude, when it came to important matters, he was faster at making judgments than anyone else.

It was indeed strange that someone like him had watched everything but said nothing.

“Just as you told those two, I also trust you.”

Rimmer smiled, saying that was all there was to it.

“Hmm….”

Raon bit his lip slightly as he looked at Rimmer.

‘He’s different.’

Rimmer used to say how much he trusted the Light Wind so often that it became tiresome, but lately, his voice carried sincerity that was different from when Raon was younger.

“I think I’ve asked this before, but be honest with me. You’ve got a terminal illness, don’t you?”

“I don’t!”

Rimmer strongly pounded his own chest, saying he was perfectly fine.

That’s true.

Wrath squinted his eyes as he looked at Rimmer.

Annoying as it is, that shitty ears is disgustingly healthy.

Wrath snorted as though Rimmer’s good health was irritating.

“Then are you planning to return to Seipia?”

“Why would I go back to that boring place! I’ve devoted my body and soul to Zieghart!”

Rimmer waved his hands frantically, telling Raon not to spout nonsense.

“Then why have you changed so much?”

“I haven’t changed. I’ve always been like this.”

Rimmer shook his head calmly.

“I was in this state from the moment I followed your grandfather to Zieghart.”

“But the vice leader I’ve seen….”

“Right, there was a time when the fire went out for a bit. Partly because of me, partly because of Zieghart. But I found firewood to rekindle it.”

He smiled warmly as he looked at Raon.

“Seeing new light and hope, and walking alongside that light, made me return to my original stance.”

With a slight nod, Rimmer turned around and descended to the crew quarters.

Light? What light?

Wrath tilted his head, confused.

‘You’re so clueless.’

Raon gave Wrath a look of exasperation.

‘Don’t ever call me clueless again.’

Wh… Are you saying he meant you?

Wrath opened his eyes wide in disbelief.

‘Who else could it be?’

What kind of light or hope could someone like you be! You’re darkness and despair!

He shouted that it wouldn’t be strange to call him the Demon King of Mockery and Despair

Why can’t anyone see it! This bastard’s insides are blacker than any demon’s! Completely pitch black!

*   *   *

The Azure Wind arrived at the port village where Sif was last seen after traveling day and night.

“Rabawin will stay behind the  Azure Wind, and only I, the Light Wind, and Paras will go.”

As soon as she got off the ship, Aris divided the team, as if she had it planned beforehand.

“Understood.”

Since it was the second docking, Rabawin nodded as he thought it was proper for him to stay and guard.

“Let’s go.”

Aris bit her nails anxiously, glancing toward the back of the village.

“I’ll lead the way.”

Paras stepped forward, offering to guide them.

“Why state the obvious! Just get moving already!”

Aris slapped Paras lightly on the back. Although it seemed like her usual joke, her complexion was dark.

She was clearly enduring something that was burning her up inside.

“Yes. I’ll guide you as quickly as I can.”

Paras nodded with determination, biting his lip as if he could sense Aris’s emotions.

“There’s no need for that.”

Aris shook her head.

“The fact that they created a space I couldn’t find means they’re no ordinary people. Safety comes first. Let’s move calmly.”

Despite worrying about her son, she advised everyone to prioritize their lives first.

“Then let’s proceed carefully.”

“Yes.”

Raon nodded as they entered the port village.

The village, reliant on fishing, wasn’t very large, but the residents’ faces were full of energy and smiles.

They were wary of outsiders, but since it was a port city, it wasn’t excessive. In other words, it was just an ordinary town.

“It’s certain that older brother Sif passed through here, right?”

“Yes.”

Paras turned around and nodded.

“Quite a few people recognized young master Sif’s appearance. He’s very handsome, after all. Though, of course, not as much as you,  Sir Raon.”

Paras threw out a light joke to ease the heavy atmosphere.

“You know it well. My nephew’s the best!”

Aris playfully patted Paras on the shoulder, nodding. Though she kept her usual face, her voice trembled slightly.

“It’ll be alright.”

Raon shook his head as he watched Aris force a smile.

“There’s no guarantee the person who screamed was Sif, and even if it was, they wouldn’t suddenly kill someone they’ve kept alive for so long. There will surely be an opportunity to rescue him.”

“…Thank you. But this aunt of yours isn’t weak enough to need your comfort just yet.”

Aris thanked him for his concern and patted his head.

“Right. In any case, it’ll be fine.”

She moved her lips as if reassuring herself.

‘This village really doesn’t seem out of the ordinary.’

Since it was a small port village, there weren’t even many warriors present.

It felt like a small mountain village within Zieghart’s territory.

‘Which makes it a good place to hide something.’

A location like this, rarely visited by outsiders, seemed perfect for someone looking to hide treasure or achieve a hidden objective.

“J-Just heard something.”

Paras approached Aris and lowered his voice slightly.

“They say no one has gone toward or come out of the forest.”

He shook his head, saying that the sorcerers were likely still in that dungeon.

“Of course, they might have left by another route, but…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Aris clenched her fists and shook her head.

“We’ll just crush them all.”

She bit her lip, saying sorcerers who imprison others couldn’t possibly be good people.

“Let’s head straight to the dungeon.”

Aris declared there was no need to linger in the village and headed straight out.

“I’ll pick up the pace from here. Please keep up.”

Paras became a streak of black light as he dashed toward the forest as soon as they left the village.

He moved at a speed just manageable for the Light Wind swordsmen to follow. The impressive thing was that this wasn’t even his full power. He clearly wasn’t an ordinary thief.

“There won’t be any rests. Manage your pace appropriately as we go.”

Aris, wrapped in a colder aura than ever, chased after Paras.

“Do as she says. Don’t fall behind. Lady Aris doesn’t have the luxury to watch over us.”

“Yes!”

The Light Wind swordsmen nodded, giving their all to keep up with Aris and Paras.

Raon moved at the rear, ready to respond in case of any unforeseen situations.

After running continuously for more than half a day, they finally reached a stop.

The terrain was rough, and they encountered many monsters along the way. It was clear that ordinary people wouldn’t have been able to reach this place.

“This is it.”

Paras pointed to a patch of land where a massive tree intertwined with a withered one. Beneath the shadows of the trees lay a bizarre space leading underground.

“How did you find a place like this?”

Burren widened his eyes, unable to understand.

“Did you find it yourself?”

Martha exhaled in amazement, marveling at how it was discovered.

“Finding hidden locations is my specialty.”

Paras shook his head, saying his profession wasn’t limited to breaking into ordinary houses.

“And young master Sif is the reason for my resolve. We endured years of hardship together in the face of demons. I had to find him.”

He nodded lightly, saying that was all there was to it.

“A comrade….”

Runaan nodded, as if understanding.

“Let’s go in.”

Aris let out a short sigh, her expression too grim for jokes, and entered the dungeon first.

“…Yes.”

Raon nodded heavily. Normally, his personality would lead him to capture the sorcerers as they emerged and extract information, but seeing Aris’s dark expression, he couldn’t bring himself to voice his opinion.

Shaking his head slightly, he stepped into the dungeon’s shadowy passage.

Seeing no ancestor’s memory suggested that this dungeon was not one created by him.

‘Maybe it’ll appear later.’

Focusing on his senses as he descended slowly, Raon carefully watched for signs of his ancestor’s traces, since he had once entered his ancestor’s memories by observing them.

The inside of the dungeon seemed to emit a luminous effect, allowing clear visibility despite the lack of light.

The mana here is distorted. Who could have created this place?

Wrath looked around from side to side, remarking on how strange it was.

‘You’re right.’

As Wrath said, the flow of mana inside was different from the outside. It felt as if the mana here was frozen solid.

“Right below…”

As Raon slowly expanded his aura perception while following the group, Aris suddenly stopped and raised a finger to her lips.

“Someone’s there.”

 

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