The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 857

 Chapter 857

 

After Denier left Federick’s mansion, Raon entered.

“Quite a lot of guests today.”

Federick welcomed him, waving his index and middle finger together.

“Did the party end well?”

“It hasn’t ended yet.”

Raon shook his head, saying it was still in full swing.

“Then why are you here?”

Federick waved his hand, telling Raon to go back and enjoy himself.

“I brought some food and desserts.”

Raon untied the cloth bundle he carried, placing buffet dishes and bead ice cream on the table.

“Please eat. These are freshly made and should still be warm.”

“Hm! I was actually getting hungry…”

Federick smacked his lips as he looked at the steaming dishes.

“As I thought, you’re the only one who looks after me! That friend of mine hasn’t even shown his face, too busy stuffing his own mouth.”

He snorted, cursing Glenn.

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”

“It’s nothing.”

Raon bowed, thanking Federick for staying in Zieghart.

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here either. No need to say that.”

Federick clicked his tongue.

“Honestly, I miss wandering aimlessly, but I’ll only leave again after I make sure Aris is completely healed.”

He smiled faintly, saying he couldn’t leave his patient behind.

“Well then, let’s see what we’ve got here.”

After some deliberation, Federick picked up a slice of pizza first.

Tsk! This fool knows nothing about how to eat! When it comes to buffet meals, you’re supposed to start by warming up your stomach with hot soup!

Wrath scowled disdainfully.

‘Huh? Didn’t you suggest starting with pizza earlier?’

Th-that was because the King of Essence was starving because of you! There was no other choice…

‘In that case, shouldn’t you warm up your stomach even more?’

La la la, la la!

Wrath began humming and turned his head away, pretending not to hear.

‘As always.’

Raon chuckled and lifted two other bundles.

“I’ll bring some food to aunt and Merlin.”

“Sure. Aris’ internal injuries are almost healed, so she can eat regular food. And Merlin could use it to regain her stamina.”

Federick nodded, telling him to pass the message on.

“Yes.”

Raon bowed again and walked to the medical room where Aris was staying. He knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Hearing Aris’ voice, he opened the door.

“Aunt… Ah?”

Raon stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening. She was on the floor, doing push-ups.

He hadn’t expected to see her exercising, leaving him momentarily speechless.

“R-Raon?”

Aris, who had apparently thought Federick was the one knocking, gasped when she saw him.

“Is it okay for you to be exercising?”

Raon placed the food bundle on the table, glancing at Aris.

“I… it’s fine.”

She smiled awkwardly, nodding.

“Sitting around doing nothing was making me feel stiff, so I thought I’d move around a bit.”

She rolled her shoulders, saying her condition wasn’t too bad.

“I heard you’ve been visiting me often. Thank you.”

With her gaze lowered, Aris stared at her feet like a sinner bearing guilt.

“It’s only natural to visit.”

Raon shook his head and began unpacking the food bundle, laying out the dishes on the table.

“We’re having a small banquet in the annex building right now, so I brought some food over.”

“…I heard. It’s a party to celebrate Sia waking up, isn’t it?”

Aris nodded, indicating she already knew.

“I should’ve been there too. I’m sorry.”

She apologized once again, her words heavy with guilt.

“It’s fine. You can join us next time.”

Following Wrath’s advice, Raon handed her a warm bowl of stew.

“…Thank you.”

Aris accepted it with trembling hands.

“Let’s see… Oh, this is good.”

She forced a smile as she moved her spoon.

“Aunt.”

Raon closed his eyes briefly, then opened them, grasping Aris’ shaking hands.

“I understand you feel guilty toward me and the Light Wind division. But we have already bid farewell to our master properly.”

He shook his head, stating that not only himself but the entire Light Wind division had accepted Rimmer's death.

"Master also smiled with satisfaction as he passed, content with having saved you and Dorian."

He held her trembling hands more firmly.

"If you keep avoiding us and responding so awkwardly, it would be an insult to both master and the entire Light Wind division."

Raon calmly nodded as he met Aris’ wavering gaze.

"A Zieghart swordsman standing with a blade always carries death on their back."

“Ugh…”

Aris looked at him, biting her lips, which had curled inward.

"Raon, you're so steadfast. I envy that... and, at the same time, it saddens me..."

“……”

Raon sighed quietly, knowing what she meant by envy and sadness.

“Right. I understand your feelings—and the others’ as well. Since you’re all telling me the same thing, I need to pull myself together.”

She thanked him, then proceeded to gulp down the entire bowl of stew in her hands.

“‘The others’…?”

Raon repeated, tilting his head.

“Yes. Denier came by earlier and told me something similar.”

Aris gestured to a fruit basket on top of the wardrobe.

"He always seemed like someone empty inside, but when he cheered me on today, he really meant it."

She chuckled lightly, saying she saw Denier in a new light.

“That’s why I was exercising, trying to muster even a bit of strength.”

“…I see.”

Raon kept his composure as he nodded.

‘Denier gave her advice?’

…What is that guy’s deal? What is he plotting?

‘I don’t know.’

If Aris said it was sincere, it likely was. But Denier’s true intentions remained a mystery.

‘Why is he trying to help her recover?’

Realistically, Aris’ recovery would take time, with no guarantee of regaining her former strength. From an enemy’s perspective, she wasn’t worth using. His motives were puzzling.

'Does that mean he's not an enemy?'

No, if he wanted to use her as a hostage, helping her recover would make sense, but still...

As Raon tilted his head in thought, Aris gave a slight nod of her chin.

"And there's one more," she said, raising a finger.

“One more?”

“Someone who’s been driving me crazy…”

She sighed just as the medical room door burst open.

“Raon!”

It was Merlin. Wearing her mask tilted to the side, she stomped her feet.

"You should’ve come to me first! I’ve been waiting for you—why didn’t you show up?"

She complained, grumbling about why Raon had spent time with Aris but not her.

Hiiiiiik!

Wrath swallowed nervously, despite Merlin not being in her animal form anymore.

“It’s her.”

Aris chuckled, pointing to Merlin.

“She came here to recover her stamina after waking up, but instead of recovering, she just talks my ear off every day. It’s exhausting.”

She shook her head, saying Merlin wore her out with all her strange chatter.

“Aunt, that’s so mean! We were having a good time!”

Merlin whined and nudged Aris’ elbow. Judging by that gesture, the two really did seem to have grown close.

“I brought something for you too.”

Raon smiled, untying the food bundle he prepared for Merlin.

“My hand hurts…”

Merlin shrank her shoulders, feigning pain in an otherwise perfectly fine hand.

“Your hand?”

“Yeah. So…”

She leaned forward, her red lips parting.

“Will you feed me? Aah!”

Merlin closed her eyes and said she wanted to be fed directly.

"Here we go again," Aris muttered, letting out a wry laugh as she looked at Merlin.

"But seriously, she's absurdly pretty. I don't understand why she keeps wearing a mask."

She shook her head, commenting that Merlin’s beauty rivaled even that of Runaan and Martha.

"Ugh."

At the mention of her mask, Merlin immediately shut her mouth and adjusted it firmly.

"Merlin?"

"Oh, come to think of it, I have fruit too."

She said she'd be back in a moment, then returned with an identical fruit basket from Aris’ room.

"This is…."

"Your uncle brought it."

Merlin smiled sweetly, explaining that Denier had given it to her.

"He’s so kind and attentive."

She nodded, saying he seemed like a genuinely good person.

"Aunt! Let’s eat together!"

Merlin set out the food she had brought onto the table as well, creating a mini buffet.

“I never thought I’d see the Queen of Terror Merlin acting so cute.”
Aris commented, shaking her head in amusement.

“I don’t do this for just anyone!”

Merlin smiled brightly, saying it was only because Raon was here.

"Raon, you sure are lucky with women," Aris teased with a faint smile, biting into a rib.

"It's not luck with women, it's my luck," Merlin declared with a frown, adding that she alone was enough.

No! It’s because of me, the King of Essence!

Wrath shook his head vigorously, claiming he was the one bringing the greatest fortune.

‘Sure, think whatever you want…’

Raon sighed and shook his head, glancing at the two fruit baskets Denier had brought.

‘Denier Zieghart….’

*   *   *

The next day at noon.

Raon took a deep breath as he stood before a massive, excessively extravagant building, more ostentatious than even the lord’s manor.

When he knocked on the towering silver gate standing guard over the structure, the main entrance opened with a grand sound, and a middle-aged man with an intellectual air bowed his head.

"I’ve been expecting you, Light Wind division leader."

The middle-aged man slowly raised his head and introduced himself.

"I am Gotarn, Chief Administrator of the True Martial Palace."

"Raon of the Light Wind Division," Raon replied, bowing in return.

"Please, this way. The palace master is waiting for you."

Gotarn gestured for him to follow and led the way into the extravagantly decorated main hall of the True Martial Palace.

"Understood."

Raon followed Gotarn down the corridor of the True Martial Palace, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

‘They sure have a lot of decorations, but…’

They’re placed with no sense of order. It’s all over the place.

Typically, high-end decorations are arranged in balance: swords with swords, armor with armor, and artworks grouped together. But here, luxurious items were scattered haphazardly.

It didn’t feel like Zieghart’s True Martial Palace but rather a cluttered marketplace.

“It’s a bit overdone, isn’t it?” 

Gotharn commented with a knowing smile.

“The palace master values his own preferences above all else, so this is how things end up.”

He shook his head, explaining that Balder wasn’t one to listen to others’ opinions.

"I see."

Raon nodded and clicked his tongue subtly.

‘It seems I’ve come to the right place.’

Amassing extravagant items indicates a desire to show off, and leaving them scattered afterward suggests stubbornness. This was undoubtedly the best person to keep Denier in check.

"This is the palace master’s office."

Gotarn stopped before Balder’s office, a room that rivaled Glenn’s audience chamber in grandeur.

“Let me open the door.”

He knocked firmly on the iron door, then pulled the handle.

"Palace master, your guest has arrived."

“Ah! Is that so?”

Balder, master of the True Martial Palace, let out a small exclamation as he looked up from a thick book, wearing glasses without lenses.

"……."

"……."

Both Gotarn and Raon remained silent, fully aware that Balder’s appearance was nothing more than an unconvincing act.

“Ahem! The weather was so nice that I got lost in a book. Time flew by,” Balder said, putting down the pristine, untouched book with a hearty laugh.

Even his attempt to sound natural was painfully unconvincing.

"Greetings, True Martial Palace master."

"Come in, come in," Balder said, gesturing to a nearby sofa with an inviting hand.

"Thank you."

Raon bowed slightly and took a seat on the sofa next to Balder.

"For you to come to me, now this is unusual."

Balder’s speech quickly reverted to his usual blunt tone, his earlier pretense gone.

"…I’ll excuse myself now."

Gotarn left the room, lowering his gaze as if embarrassed.

“I’m here because I’d like to ask something of you.”

As soon as Raon was seated, he got straight to the point.

“A favor, hmm…”

Balder nodded knowingly, as if expecting this.

“Go on. If it’s for my nephew’s sake, I’ll do whatever you need!”

“Um…”

Raon swallowed, finding Balder’s overly eager response a bit overwhelming. But at the moment, he had no one else to trust but Balder.

"I’d like you to keep an eye on the Wise Martial Palace master."

"Denier?"

Balder casually referred to his older brother by name.

“Yes. As you know, Lady Aris is still in no condition to fully recover her strength, and I’m worried Sir Denier might use some sketchy sorcery on her.”

Raon sighed, explaining that Denier appeared intent on using untested healing sorcery and giving Aris suspicious medicine.

“So basically, you’re saying he’s acting like a quack!”

Balder summed up Raon’s long explanation with one single word: quack.

Raon was relieved that Balder believed him so easily—it confirmed that coming here was the right choice.

“Y-yes, exactly. He’s acting like a quack.”

Raon gave a tiny smile and nodded.

“That man has always been like that. Once he’s fixated on something, he loses sight of everything else. He may look composed, but underneath that exterior, he’s stubborn as a mule.”

Balder snorted, saying Denier’s composed appearance belied his irrationality.

“That’s right. Either way, I believe you’re the only one in Zieghart who can handle this situation, palace master.”

Raon bowed his head, formally requesting Balder’s assistance.

“Is that so? Am I the only one who can do this?”

Balder, clearly pleased by the idea that only he could handle it, let a wide grin spread across his face.

"Ah-hem, it’s certainly something I can handle, but, uh, these days I’ve been so busy developing a new martial art that I’m not sure I’ll have the time," Balder said, sneaking glances at Raon for his reaction, muttering that his work on the martial art wasn’t going very well.

“…When I return from my next mission, I’ll help review the martial art you’re developing, sir”

Raon replied without hesitation, having already prepared to offer this much in return.

“Really? Are you serious?” Balder shot up from his seat, clearly not expecting such a straightforward response.

“Ah, now that’s my nephew! You really know how to speak well! Fine, I’ll keep an eye on him, right down to how many pieces of bread he eats!”

Balder declared, slapping Raon on the back with enthusiasm.

“Don’t worry about a thing.”

“Thank you. And please keep this between us.”

“Secret? Why?”

“Well, Sir Denier is doing this for Lady Aris, so I don’t want to embarrass him unnecessarily,” Raon said, clasping his hands together as if to plead.

"You…"

Balder narrowed his eyes at Raon.

'Did he catch on?'

Raon wondered, feeling a pang of doubt about his flimsy excuse. Even he thought it was a bit weak, and now Balder’s piercing gaze made him uneasy.

"Palace master, what I meant is…."

“You’re such a kind kid!”

Balder cut him off, giving him a vigorous pat on the shoulder with a grin.

"……."

Raon gulped, glancing at Balder’s sparkling eyes.

‘Is this really okay?’

He wondered, feeling an odd mix of success and guilt as things were going his way a little too easily.

Sigh…

Wrath let out an exasperated sigh, as if he couldn’t believe what was happening.

Is that really the brain of a human?

Wrath muttered incredulously.

 

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