The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 944

 Chapter 944

 

‘Haah…’

Raon let out a dry laugh as he looked at the countless dishes laid out on the table.

‘So it was real.’

Bone broth soup, pineapple pizza, lamb chops, steamed lobster, and even a whole roasted pork. Every single dish Wrath had mentioned after catching their scent was now laid out on the table.

‘Is he really a demon king and not a dog?’

Though Wrath currently resembled a cat, he turned into a dog when it came to sniffing out food.

Raon had no idea how he knew all those dishes were here.

Slurp...

Wrath brought his nose close to a plate and let out a long, exaggerated slurp.

My eyes are about to pop out from hunger! Hurry and offer those dishes to me!

He slammed his fist onto the table, demanding him start eating immediately.

‘Not yet.’

Raon shook his head and pushed the squirming Wrath aside.

‘The guest hasn’t arrived yet.’

Since Olga hadn’t arrived at the dining room, it was still time to wait.

“Raon! You have to be patient even if you’re hungry!”

Sia gave him a small nod.

“It’s tastier when you eat together with guests.”

She waved her hand at him, as if calming him down, telling him they should wait for Olga who wasn’t here yet.

“You’re right.”

Raon smiled faintly as he looked at Sia, who was proudly lifting her chin.

‘Did her mental age go up a bit?’

Sia didn’t throw a tantrum about being hungry like she used to. Instead, she said they should wait, like it was only natural.
It felt like her mind was slowly returning to her real age.

‘A bit of a shame though.’

He hoped Sia would gradually become who she was meant to be. But at the same time, it felt a little sad… that the older sister who had been like a cute little sister was starting to fade away.

‘Wasn’t there some way for her to stay that cute, even as she matured?’

As Raon was smacking his lips while looking at Sia, the dining room door opened, and Olga stepped inside.

“Sorry I’m late.”

She bowed her head slightly while smoothing down her neatly tied hair. Her purple hair still held traces of moisture, and the tattoos on her body formed a strange harmony with her appearance, giving off a mature beauty.

“Do they choose saintess based on looks these days? You’re stunning.”

Sylvia smiled brightly, seemingly charmed by Olga’s face and presence.

“Sister! You’ve gotten even prettier!”

Sia, who had taken a liking to Olga from the beginning, showered her with one compliment after another.

“You didn’t have to wait for me… You could’ve started first…”

Olga’s voice trailed off, as if she felt awkward and undeserving of the gesture. It was a far cry from her usual cocky, swaggering demeanor.

“Of course we had to wait. You’re the guest.”

Edgar shook his hand, saying it was only natural.

“And if the guest happens to be a saintess, we could’ve waited until morning, no problem.”

He nodded with a sincere smile, clearly happy just to have met Olga.

“…Thank you.”

Olga averted her gaze awkwardly and took a seat.

“What’s with the ladylike act? You used to throw your leg up on the table and curse everyone out. If someone saw you like this, they’d actually think you were a real saintess.”

Raon curled his finger toward her, teasing the now-ladylike Olga.

“Shut your— mm. I’d appreciate it if you could watch your mouth.”

Olga started to snap back with her usual bite, but when her eyes landed on Sylvia and Sia, she rephrased herself with a strained smile.

“Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since Raon brought a friend over!”

Sylvia gave a soft smile as she watched how comfortably Raon interacted with Olga.

“We’re not friends.”

“We’re not friends.”

Raon and Olga shook their heads at the same time.

“You’re answering in sync—sure looks like friendship to me! Ah, young people. I remember those days. Wonder if that bastard’s still holed up in that cave somewhere…”

Edgar glanced up thoughtfully, as if remembering someone from the past while watching the two.

“Save the bonding for later. Let’s eat first. I prepared all this to celebrate our victory in the war.”

Sylvia spread her arms wide and invited everyone to eat.

“Start with the soup.”

She personally ladled some bone broth into a bowl and handed it to Olga, saying it would warm her up.

“Thank you.”

Olga received the bowl with both hands and set it in front of her.

She hesitated slightly, then picked up a spoon and tried a sip of the soup.

“…Hm?”

Olga’s eyes rounded slightly. It seemed the soup had turned out better than she expected.

Stop gawking and eat already!

Wrath grabbed Raon’s shoulder as he begged Raon to eat.

‘Should I?’

Raon gave a slight nod and tasted the bone soup Silvia had handed him.

‘This is better than I thought.’

Despite the greasy look from the simmered bones, the soup wasn’t heavy at all. Instead, it had a buttery smoothness and richness that melted on the tongue.

Grrrrrrrah!

Wrath let out a loud, satisfied groan like a drunk who had just taken a shot of whiskey.

This is it! This is why he stayed in the human world!

He shouted that the happiness of the demon race wasn’t far off, and pointed to the next dish

‘The roast pork?’

You have to eat it while it’s still hot, that’s when it’s tender!

Raon brought over a plate of the roast pork that Wrath had pointed to, then turned his gaze to the others.

“Sia, you like pizza, don’t you? Mom brought some for you.”

“No way! Our Sia loves shrimp the most.”

Sylvia and Edgar were competing to feed Sia.

“I think Lady Sia is going to pick the pizza today.”

“No, no. Lady Sia’s favorite is definitely shrimp.”

“Hmm? I thought she always started with meat?”

Helen and the other maids watched the exchange with gentle smiles, curious to see whose choice Sia would go with.

“Mm? Wow. Oh….”

Olga, meanwhile, was quickly moving her hands, tasting each dish one by one as if the food suited her perfectly.

The roast pork is cooked just right. The fat is crisp, and the meat is tender, it’s excellent.

As always, Wrath closed his eyes and gave his half-baked food critique.

‘Maybe…’

Raon looked around the annex building’s dining room, where warmth and joy lingered in the air. A faint smile came to his lips.

‘…The reason I want to get stronger… is just to keep seeing moments like this.’

*   *   *

Gurgh!

Wrath let out a violent burp as he sprawled out on the bed.

Finally, he feels like he’s recovered from that damn Gluttony’s torment!

He nodded in satisfaction, pleased with tonight’s dinner.

He had devoured every dish on the table and even finished off two boxes of bead ice cream for dessert. Judging by his bloated belly, he looked like he had no regrets left in the world.

‘You really like food that much, huh?’

Raon chuckled, looking at Wrath’s swollen belly.

It’s not food, it’s delicious food! Don’t mix them up!

Wrath shook his head firmly, telling him not to confuse the two.

‘Isn’t that the same thing?’

It’s completely different! He refuses to converse with a culinary ignoramus like you!

He turned his head sharply to the side, signaling the conversation was over.

‘In that case, I guess I’ll have to call someone else to talk to.’

Raon grinned slyly and looked up at the empty air.

Someone else? W-wait a moment!

Wrath seemed to realize who Raon meant and urgently reached out to stop him.

“Lust.”

Raon ignored Wrath and called out Lust’s name.

No!

Wrath shot up from the bed and shouted.

Why would you call that crazy stalker! The King of Essence was about to enjoy a peaceful sleep!

‘Well, we’re home now. I figured I should at least let her know she can relax.’

Raon continued to ignore Wrath and called out again.

“Lust?”

But the stalker demon king gave no response, nor did she appear.

“…Huh.”

Raon let out a dry laugh as he stared at the empty air.

‘I figured this might happen, but… she really got lost?’

Before they left Montiro, he had warned Lust to follow carefully, but it looked like she’d managed to get lost anyway. Her sense of direction was unbelievably hopeless.

Ha! Kahahahaha!

Wrath burst into wild laughter the moment he realized Lust wasn’t in Zieghart.

So your judgment can be wrong too! Who would’ve thought he’d ever be thankful for that stalker’s hopeless sense of direction!

Clutching his round belly, he laughed in Raon’s face without holding back.

‘I told you. I thought it might happen. I more or less expected it.’

After all, this was the demon king who had chased him all the way to the devildom just to find him. It wasn’t impossible that she might lose her way again.

‘And if I ever really need to call Lust, I can do it anytime.’

What… what kind of creepy thing are you saying right now…?

Wrath’s jaw trembled slightly.

‘She’s in the human world right now, so if I release some <Lust> energy, she’ll probably show up just like before, but she’s far away, so it’ll take some time.’

Lust was a demon king who had tracked them all the way from the devildom by sensing Wrath’s <Wrath> and her own <Lust>.

She’s still in the human world, so the moment I release the energy of <Lust>, she’ll start heading this way.

Urgh…

Wrath lowered his eyes to the floor, as if remembering the terror he’d felt when he last saw Lust.

Y-you’re not calling her right now, are you? Don’t you have a lot of work to do?

He shook his head nervously, insisting that calling Lust would ruin everything.

‘Hmm…’

Raon clicked his tongue briefly, thinking it over.

‘What should I do?’

Please! the King of Essence will put up with whatever you want! Just don’t call her!

Wrath brought his hands together, pleading as if ready to do anything.

‘Then check one more time if the aura control method I’m going to use on Olga tomorrow is good enough.’

He’s already gone over that with you more than dozens of times!

 

Wrath furrowed his brow, saying they’d already gone over it repeatedly on the way to Zieghart.

‘The body of a demon and the body of a human are different. Even going over it hundreds of times wouldn’t be enough.’

Raon shook his head and opened a medical book that contained anatomical diagrams of the human body.

Why are you putting in so much effort for something that isn’t even for you?

‘Because it isn’t for me, that’s exactly why I need to be absolutely sure.’

Since it wasn’t training to make himself stronger but studying to save someone else, being precise and detailed was only natural.

‘Before I call Lust, just check it again.’

Raon closed his eyes, telling Wrath to stop talking and just look at the aura control, then slowly closed his eyes.

The heat of Ten Thousand Flames flowed from his fingertips, drawing graceful arcs in the air, as if merging seamlessly into the form of a human body.

…Now he understands.

Wrath watched Raon closely with his eyes half-closed, curling his lips.

This is why humans flock to you.

For one who stands above others, charisma that draws people in is just as important as overwhelming strength.

He had meant it as a joke before, but this human, Raon Zieghart, might really have what it takes to become a demon king.

But if that guy actually did become one…

Wrath scanned Raon up and down, frowning deeply.

…the devildom might actually be doomed.

*   *   *

The next evening.

Raon entered the training chamber of the fifth training ground together with Olga.

The training chamber was completely soundproof and vibration-proof, it was the perfect place to treat Olga.

“You ready?”

After seating Olga in the middle of the chamber, Raon rolled his wrists to loosen up.

“Mm…”

Seemingly tense, Olga kept her hands clasped on her lap, fingers trembling.

“There’s no need to be that worried.”

Raon raised a finger and pointed to the half-open door of the training chamber.

“Am I late?”

Through the half-open door, the Ragged Saint, Federick, walked in.

“Even if you don’t trust me completely, you can trust him.”

To be safe in case something went wrong, Raon had called Federick for support. As long as Olga could endure it, the treatment should go smoothly.

“No.”

Olga shook her head firmly as she stared directly at him.

“I trust you more.”

She clenched her trembling fingers, emphasizing that she trusted Raon more than Federick.

I’d say the same. There are few people more reliable than Raon.”

Federick gave a slight smile as he met Olga’s calm eyes.

“Olga, your body seems in worse shape than before. Though your mind looks healthier.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly, her condition didn’t look good to him.

“You’ve met Olga before, sir?”

Raon widened his eyes in surprise as he looked at Federick.

“Well, since I’m called a Saint myself, I figured I should at least meet the child everyone’s calling a Saintess.”

Federick lowered his hand, explaining he had met Olga in the Holy Kingdom of Schper.

“She was in a back alley, shaking down a bunch of street punks. The image of a Saintess I had in my head shattered instantly.”

He shrugged, saying their first encounter had left a strong impression.

“Of course, now I know what kind of person Olga really is.”

Federickk nodded slightly, saying that was why he had come all the way here.

“I see.”

Back in Montiro, Raon had sent Federick a letter asking for help. Since the only reply he’d received was a simple ‘Understood,’ he’d assumed the two of them had no personal connection, but now it was clear they were more familiar than he thought.

‘Well, I suppose that makes sense.’

Before settling in Zieghart, Federick had traveled across the entire continent, performing good deeds and earning the nickname the Ragged Saint.

Considering that, it wasn’t strange at all that he had ended up meeting Olga in the Holy Kingdom.

“You know, I told you, if you stopped using your holy power, you could’ve lived like anyone else. But no, you went and poured it out without holding back. Now… you really don’t have much time left.”

Federick frowned as he looked at Olga’s skin, melted by holy power.

“This is the path I chose.”

Just as she had said in Montiro, Olga shook her head. There was no hint of regret in her voice.

“…Yeah. It’s because you were that kind of person… that a day like this could come.”

Federick gently closed the door and stepped up beside Raon.

“Today… I think we’ll see a good result.”

Fwaaah.

As he brought his hands together, a pale blue wind laced with light spread softly through the chamber.

“I’ve engraved a spell using my holy power called the Wind of Restoration. It’s a holy technique that rapidly heals physical wounds.”

He wiped the sweat trickling down his forehead, speaking as if it were nothing, but Raon could tell it was a technique that demanded considerable mental strength.

“Thank you.”

Raon bowed his head to Federick, then took out two wooden cases from his pocket.

“Take these elixirs first.”

He handed Olga the elixirs that he had brought from Zieghart’s treasury.

“Elixirs?”

Olga’s eyes widened as she looked at the elixirs in the wooden cases.

“These… seem incredibly rare…”

"I got it from the head of house. He said that since Schper helped us, he hoped this would be of help to you in return."

Raon repeated Glenn’s words as they were and gave a firm nod.

“…Then I’ll have to thank him once this is over.”

Olga let out a soft groan, saying she would need to express her gratitude to Glenn.

"Forget about giving thanks for now, and focus on what I’m saying."

Raon slowly raised his finger, drawing Olga’s gaze toward him.

“Once you take the elixirs, you must not make a single sound. Don’t move either. You have to keep the holy power from raging out of control. Just hold it down, no matter what.”

He brought his index finger to his lips, motioning for her to stay silent.

"That's all?"

Olga tilted her head, as if it sounded far too simple.

“That’s not all. You’re going to feel pain bad enough to make you wish you were dead. Just staying conscious through it will be a challenge.”

After telling her everything she needed to be careful of, he lowered his hand.

“I’ve endured worse.”

Olga shook her head, saying she’d already withstood her flesh melting away.

"It’ll be far worse than that, but… I believe you can handle it."

Raon gave a quiet nod, then sat down behind her.

"Hoo…"

Olga looked into the small mirror in front of her, gazing at Raon's eyes reflected in it, and took a deep breath.

‘Is he just trying to scare me?’

Listening to everything Raon had said, it felt like she wouldn't need to do anything herself.

She was a little—no, honestly, very worried, but strangely enough, she felt at ease because Raon was the one behind her.

"If you're ready, put the elixirs in your mouth."

"Okay."

Closing her eyes, Olga placed the elixirs into her mouth and chewed them one after the other, swallowing them down.

"Ugh!"

A sharp tremor ran through her shoulders as the elixirs exploded inside her body like a sudden surge of heat.

“Then, I’ll begin.”

Raon bowed his head to Federick and then placed his hand on Olga’s back.

Wooooong!

Using the heat of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, he guided the rampaging energy of the elixirs inside Olga’s body along the path that Wrath had taught him.

Wooooooong!

He pushed the lingering remnants of holy power within her mana circuit aside, using the elixirs and his flame to forcibly override them—placing tremendous strain on her body.

Brrrrr.

Olga's clenched fists trembled atop her knees, clearly wracked with unbearable pain.

“You have to endure it.”

Raon furrowed his brows as he spoke to Olga, who was wavering under the pain.

‘So far, it seems to be going well.’

You stayed up all night studying, and it shows. Not bad. But you’re going a bit too fast.

Wrath told him to lower the speed at which he was manipulating his aura and raised his hand.

The method the King of Essence taught you is how demons, born with powerful demonic energy, strengthen their bodies. Humans are far weaker, so you need to adjust the strength and speed accordingly.

Wrath tilted his chin, signaling Raon to slow the movement of the elixirs’ energy to better match Olga’s body.

Besides, what you’re doing is essentially reshaping her body as if she were undergoing a complete rebirth. You need to move with far more precision.

‘Got it.’

Raon grit his teeth and began lowering the speed of his aura control.

‘I’m getting tired faster than I thought.’

It was hard enough to control the elixir’s energy raging inside one’s own body, but trying to control it in someone else’s required dozens of times more strength and willpower.

Barely ten minutes had passed, but cold sweat was already pouring down his body, as if he'd fought through hours of battle.

But this wasn’t about him. This was about saving the life of someone he owed dearly. He couldn’t afford to let himself waver.

‘I have to save her no matter what.’

Because of Olga, his precious people had survived the war. He had to return that debt, no matter the cost.

‘Even if it kills me, I’ll save her.’

*   *   *

‘Urgh!’

Olga bit down on her lip until blood burst out.

‘This is worse than I thought…’

The pain of her skin melting from holy power was already excruciating beyond comprehension for ordinary people.

She had thought she could remain calm even in the face of death now, but this pain was in another realm entirely, beyond what most could even fathom.

‘It’s like my flesh and bones are all being ground to dust.’

It wasn’t just her skin melting, her entire body felt like it was burning inside a molten furnace.

The pain was so intense, she wanted nothing more than to pass out right then and there.

Rumble…

And on top of that, the holy power within her was rampaging wildly, as if it might explode. Holding it down demanded nearly all her willpower. At this rate, she didn’t think she could last another minute.

‘How am I supposed to endure this… ah.’

Just as Olga was about to say she couldn’t take it anymore, she felt a violent tremor in the hand pressing gently against her back.

‘Mm…’

Forcing her eyes open, she looked at the mirror in front of her. Raon, reflected in it, was sweating profusely and biting his lip, clearly in as much pain as she was. It was an expression she hadn’t even seen during the war. He, too, seemed to be going through hell.

‘There’s nothing in this for him.’

Raon never once said he’d save her. He didn’t promise anything. They could’ve just called it even and left it at that, and no one would’ve blamed him. But instead, he was here, enduring this pain alongside her.

‘I don’t understand this guy. But still…’

I get it now. I have to endure this too.

Crunch—

Olga clenched her teeth hard, so hard it felt like they might crack, as she forced the rampaging holy power back down.

‘That guy’s holding out… I can’t be the one to give up.’

To keep herself from blacking out, Olga bit down on her tongue and forced her focus to stay sharp. If she couldn’t endure it, she was prepared to die right then and there.

Kuwaaaaaa!

Just when it felt like she’d spent more time inside this training chamber than she had alive in the world, a massive explosion surged from deep within her body and soul.

Fwoooosh!

A rush of coolness swept through her body, powerful enough to blow away all the pain she had endured in an instant.

It felt like walking under the blazing sun for half a day, only to step into the cool water of a mountain stream.

‘I feel like I’m going to lose consciousness…’

After enduring that hellish pain, the sudden wave of relief crashing over her was enough to make her head spin. She felt like she could collapse at any moment.

‘I still need to hold on…’

Olga forced her eyes open. In the small mirror in front of her, she saw Raon’s face,
dripping with sweat, his lips trembling, clearly in as much pain as she had been.

"You did well. You can rest now."

The moment she heard those words and saw the faint smile on Raon’s face,
the fatigue she’d been holding back hit her like a wave. Her eyelids sank without resistance.

“Thank y—…”

Olga couldn’t even finish saying thank you before sleep overtook her.

*   *   *

"Haaa…"

Raon exhaled deeply as he looked at Olga, who had fallen asleep with her head resting on his knee.

‘It worked.’

The traces of burned, melted skin and the mess of tattoos that once covered her body were gone, her skin now radiant and milky-white, like that of a newborn child.

Where there had once been a fragile, broken beauty to her appearance, there now bloomed a quiet, refined grace.

But that wasn’t what truly mattered.

‘Her physical durability…’

Thanks to the highest-grade elixirs and his own aura, Olga’s body had been completely restructured and now possessed a toughness beyond even that of a Grandmaster.

She could now unleash every drop of holy power within her, and her skin would no longer melt, nor would she be wracked with agony.

‘It turned out well… but this isn’t something I could ever do again.’

Raon had endured every ounce of her pain with her, guiding the elixir’s energy with perfect precision, not allowing for even the smallest error.

It had been so agonizing and exhausting, it felt like fighting through another war.

Raon ran a hand through his sweat-drenched hair, silently vowing never to reconstruct someone else’s body like that again.

“Saint.”

His eyelids trembled as he bowed his head toward the Ragged Saint.

“Thank you for your help.”

“What help? You’re the one who did everything.”

Federick waved his hand dismissively, saying he had merely stood by and watched.

“You helped steady me every time I was about to waver. I only made it through thanks to you.”

Federick had helped him maintain focus whenever his energy wavered, and also supported Olga in keeping her holy power under control. Without him, it would’ve been several times harder.

It was the King of Essence! The King of Essence is the one who taught you everything!

‘Yeah, yeah. You did good too.’

Raon let out a faint chuckle and gave Wrath a light pat on the head.

Then bring forth a feast fit for the King of Essence today! With dessert, of course!

Wrath raised his chin, spouting exactly what Raon had expected him to say.

‘Yes, yes, your majesty. right away.’

Raon nodded without complaint.

“Looks like you can finally get some rest now.”

Federick rolled his shoulder and spoke with a light smile.

“No. I still have something I need to do.”

Raon shook his head as he listened to Olga’s quiet breathing.

“Something you need to do?”

“Yes.”

He looked toward the distant lord’s manor and smacked his lips.

“I’m going to ask for one last gift from the head of house… and then head into the cave.”

A very special cave at that.

 

Advance Chapters