The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1067

 Chapter 1067

 

“Master, you’re still the same as ever.”

Raon let out a hollow laugh as he looked at Rimmer, who straightened his back proudly.

‘That’s not an act.’

I thought it might be the White Blood Religion’s leader’s sorcery, but absolutely not. The only elf who could so brazenly ask for money to be lent was none other than Rimmer.

That’s right!

Wrath gave a big nod with his chin.

That shameless face is something no sorcery could create!

Wrath gave a welcoming smile, saying that really was the Shitty Ears.

“Master? Martha also called me master….”

Rimmer opened his eyes wide as if he found it strange.

“Why is everyone using that title for me?”

He tilted his head, as though he couldn’t understand.

“So it really was you who helped Martha, master.”

From Rimmer’s words, it seemed he had helped Martha’s revenge inside the sword field.

“I only gave her a push on the back.”

Rimmer waved his hand, saying he hadn’t done anything special.

“It was Martha who moved her legs and swung her sword.”

He curled his lips, saying Martha had become a swordsman he was proud of.

“I agree.”

Raon nodded as he recalled Martha, who had finally achieved her goal.

“Enough of that! Why do you call me master!”

Rimmer furrowed his brow as if curious.

“There’s nothing else to call you. You’re no longer a division leader, nor a vice division leader.”

Raon raised his hand toward Rimmer.

“Calling you instructor like in the old days lacks warmth, so master suits best.”

In truth, there were other ways to address him, but the title that best described Rimmer was master.

“If you don’t like master, I could call you slacker, gambler, debtor, or sleepyhead.”

Raon moved his fingers as he told him to choose.

“L-let’s just go with master.”

Rimmer sighed, saying none of those were any good. Facing him and speaking like this, it felt as if they had gone back to the days in the fifth training ground together.

“Right. Come to think of it, I’m dead.”

Rimmer realized that was why he couldn’t be called division leader or vice division leader anymore, and gave a bitter smile.

“That’s true….”

Raon pressed his lips firmly together.

“But how did you end up inside the Blade of Requiem?”

To break the heavy mood, he asked the question that had long been on his mind.

“No idea?”

Rimmer blinked his eyes as if to ask why he was being asked that.

“Huh?”

“It feels like they pulled me in, but also like I went in myself. I’m not sure.”

He shrugged, saying he didn’t know the exact reason himself.

“That’s a very master-like answer.”

Raon gave a hollow laugh and nodded. Even though he didn’t get an answer, he was happy. He wished this moment could last longer.

“Still, thanks to that, I was able to see many good things.”

Rimmer slowly lowered his eyes.

“When you rose to Transcendence and avenged me, when you brought down the Black Tower, when you split apart the Fallen’s soul, and today when you tore apart the White Blood Religion’s leader’s soul, I was always by your side.”

He raised his eyelids again, saying he had been there through all those moments.

“But more than those great feats, eating together, training together, sleeping together… every moment spent with you was happiness.”

Rimmer smiled gently, saying just watching over the Light Wind Palace had been enough.

“So in the end, you were just slacking off.”

Raon gave a faint smile, saying, since you were always with us, why hadn’t he shown himself.

“Sorry. You know I do sleep a lot.”

Rimmer clasped his hands together, as if asking forgiveness while playing along with the joke.

“In truth, it was because it was you that I entrusted the Light Wind Division. If it had been someone else, even if the head of house himself came, I wouldn’t have handed the kids over. My choice was right after all.”

He looked one by one at the Light Wind swordsmen outside, his gaze filled with longing.

“Master….”

Raon let out a heavy sigh as he looked into Rimmer’s sunken eyes.

“Are your thoughts about becoming the head of house still the same?”

Rimmer raised his right eyebrow as though asking what Raon thought about becoming the head of house of Zieghart.

“No. Now….”

Raon thought of the war that happened today and raised his unwavering, calmed eyes.

“I want to climb up there with my own feet.”

After avenging Derus, I couldn’t just leave, I had grown too attached to the people of Zieghart. No, to Zieghart itself.

If possible, I wanted to become head of house and be a wall that could protect everyone, just like Glenn.

“I knew it! That throne is yours!”

Rimmer clapped his hands loudly. Hearing the sound of his applause again after such a long time made Raon’s heart burn hot.

“Get rid of that old man and that envious bastard Karoon, and climb up quickly!”

He shook his fist as he spoke words that, if Glenn heard, would surely call down dozens of bolts of lightning.

“Sir Karoon has changed a lot. He’s no easy opponent anymore.”

“Well, that’s true. I didn’t expect that guy to change like that either.”

Rimmer chuckled faintly, saying there’s always a way to fix a person up and use them again.

“Ah, wait! You punk! I asked if you have money, why aren't you answering!”

As if remembering he had asked for money, he reached his hand toward him.

“Of course I have a lot of money.”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Rimmer’s palm.

“Just none that’s for you.”

Even if he was crazy about gambling, I hadn’t imagined he’d gamble with vengeful spirits and lose down to his underwear. It was so absurd that I felt strength returning to my body.

“Did you really lose money to the vengeful spirits?”

“I’m telling you! Those bastards are cheaters! Cheaters! The cards keep changing right in their hands!”

Rimmer shook a trump card that he got from who knows where in his hand. Seeing that, it really seemed like he had been gambling inside the Blade of Requiem.

“Haa….”

Raon grabbed his forehead and let out a long sigh.

“Then should I burn gold coins to melt them down for you? Or bury them?”

Since money was usually sent to the dead by burning or burying, he asked what should be done.

“Eh? Did you get stupid while I was gone?”

Rimmer twirled a finger beside his head as though he’d lost it.

“Of course you send it to people! I’ve even got addresses!”

He tapped his own head, telling Raon to get a grip.

Ah, he’s so pissed off!

Wrath ground his teeth with a crunch.

That Shitty Ears still has the knack for making the King of Essence furious, even after dying and coming back!

But contrary to his words about Rimmer being a Shitty Ears who still made him angry even after so long, he drew a very faint smile.

“A-an address? Even a soul has an address?”

Raon frowned, saying he couldn’t understand.

“Obviously real addresses! Using that Heart Sword has really made you dumb!”

“When we were talking about vengeful spirits, and suddenly you bring up actual people’s addresses, of course I’d be flustered!”

Raon yelled back. It seemed this was the first time since Rimmer’s death that he’d been flustered by someone’s words, and Raon couldn’t help but laugh.

“Some of the vengeful spirits have parents or children outside the village. Some want to help their acquaintances. I’d like you to look after those people.”

As he said that, Rimmer placed his hand on Raon’s forehead.

Tuk.

When the faint wind blew from his fingertip, stories of the spirits and the faces and locations of those they wanted to take care of flashed into Raon’s mind.

“You can do it, right?”

Rimmer brought his hands together, as if sincerely pleading.

“Master….”

Raon touched the forehead where Rimmer’s hand had rested and drew a gentle smile.

“You’re really the same as ever.”

His master, who looked like human trash on the outside, still had the deepest heart of anyone. Realizing he hadn’t changed, the anxiety that had been wavering inside Raon eased.

“I understand. I’ll take care of everything with the money you left behind, master. I’m still donating to that orphanage even now.”

Raon nodded heavily, saying not to worry.

“Ah, when you say things like that, it’s embarrassing….”

Rimmer grabbed his head as if his secret safe had come to mind.

“Most ordinary people take pride in donating and feel embarrassed about gambling, you know?”

Raon gave a hollow laugh as he looked at Rimmer acting the opposite way.

“I’m not an ordinary person, am I!”

“Well, that’s true. A damn elf….”

Raon let out a small laugh and nodded. Just joking lightly like this seemed to blow away all his exhaustion.

“And then… hm?”

Rimmer, about to say something else, furrowed his brows as he looked at the vengeful spirits that were gradually fading.

“Looks like the time is up.”

He clicked his tongue, saying it seemed the time to leave had come.

“The vengeful spirits….”

Raon’s fingertips trembled as he looked at the fading vengeful spirits.

“They’ll be able to go to a good place, right?”

“No.”

Rimmer shook his head, erasing his smile.

“No matter how unfairly they died, these ones ignored the foundation of the world and remained in this land. If they had stopped there, it might have been different, but in the end they even fulfilled their revenge, so they cannot go to a good place.”

He let out a murky sigh, saying only annihilation remained for them.

“I see….”

Honestly, I already knew, but hearing it with my own ears made my chest ache. It truly felt like the journey with the Blade of Requiem was ending here.

“So….”

Rimmer stepped closer to him.

“These ones want to give you their final gift.”

As Rimmer flicked his finger, the spirits poured down toward Raon, just as when they had targeted the White Blood Religion’s leader.

Fwoooong!

But unlike when they had devoured the White  Blood Religion’s leader, the spirits approached his soul without baring their fangs, leaving behind the pure energy they possessed.

“W-wait! If they leave me this power, then those ones will….”

Raon looked at Rimmer with trembling eyes.

“It’s power meaningless for them to keep. It’s the gift of comrades, so the proper thing is to accept it.”

Rimmer nodded, saying that having a grateful heart was enough.

“Comrades….”

Raon bit his lip deeply as he watched his own soul grow stronger while the spirits weakened.

Fwoooosh!

The spirits passed the pure energy and souls they had carried into him, then returned behind Rimmer.

They were again draped in a violet current, just as when they had first entered the Blade of Requiem.

[You have received the vengeful spirits’ heartfelt gratitude.]

[The trait <Heart Sword (Spirit)> evolves into the trait <Heart Sword>.]

Raon, feeling that he could now use the Hearth Sword with his own strength alone, performed Zieghart’s sword salute toward the spirits.

“Thank you.”

Just as the spirits had shown him their sincerity, he too revealed his sincerity to them.

Fwoooong!

The spirits, sending their last voices of saying they were even more grateful, slowly floated up into the air. Their very existence began to be erased from this world.

“So this is the end.”

Rimmer let out a thin smile as he looked at his own body turning blurry like the spirits.

“What will happen to you, master?”

Raon grabbed Rimmer’s hand.

“My soul has also been tainted while staying with the spirits, so I won’t be able to return straight to the World Tree.”

Rimmer wrinkled his nose bridge, saying it would be difficult to dissolve into nature like the other elves.

“If my soul is purified by wandering the world as the wind, I'll have to try visiting once. I might even become a spirit.”

He waved his hand gently, saying he would still keep watching over him.

“Master….”

Raon clenched his molars tight without letting go of Rimmer’s hand.

“I wanted to see Martha’s revenge fulfilled, and Runaan overcoming her trauma, and Burren beat down his own father, but what I most looked forward to was seeing you ascend to Zieghart’s throne. I will be sure to watch.”

He released Raon’s hand, saying he would find him no matter what.

“I can’t call you a little king anymore. Become a king you can be proud of to yourself.”

After saying that was his last request, Rimmer became a green wind and floated up into the sky.

“Tell the Light Wind kids to live doing what makes them happy. Holding it in will only make them sick.”

He smacked his lips, as if regretting not having the time to go and give advice to each of them one by one.

“Ah! One last thing, tell Sheryl not to forget me and to remember me for life! And tell her she must live alone!”

Shouting that it must be told to Sheryl, Rimmer disappeared northward together with the violet mist the spirits had left behind.

T-that’s telling her to live as an old maid!

Wrath’s mouth dropped open as if dumbfounded.

To cast a curse on the way out! Truly a crazy bastard!

Wrath shook his head, saying he was a true lunatic.

‘That’s not it.’

Raon shook his head calmly.

‘Since Lady Sheryl never listens to master’s words, he meant the opposite, that she should forget him and meet someone good.’

Rimmer wished for Sheryl to forget him and be happy.

“Please….”

Raon brushed away the clear, light-green droplet that had gathered at his eyes as he looked at the sky where Rimmer had vanished.

“You must come back.”

He gripped Heavenly Drive, vowing to show Rimmer the moment he was looking forward to.

*   *   *

“…Are you all right?”

Runaan’s eyes widened as she held onto Raon’s shoulder.

“A violet flash burst from the Blade of Requiem’s hilt, and you didn’t move for a while, palace master.”

Burren shook his head, saying he thought Raon had fainted with his eyes open.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

Raon gave a drained smile as he picked up the Wooden Ring Sword lying at his feet.

“There’s something I need to tell you….”

“Raon!”

Martha, who had been checking on Denier, raised her hand toward him.

“I saw that lazy elf! From the Heart Sword you sent….”

“I met him too.”

Raon nodded, saying he already knew everything.

“L-lazy elf? Don’t tell me….”

“It’s no ‘don’t tell me’! There’s only one lazy elf in this world!”

“You saw master?”

“Where, how!”

The Light Wind swordsmen, who had all been doing different things, gathered around Raon and Martha.

“I’ll speak first. Inside my sword field….”

Martha began to tell them what had happened to her.

“W-wait. Then the Rakshasa Woman can’t wield a sword anymore?”

Runaan’s eyes trembled as if she couldn’t believe Martha was no longer a swordsman.

“Yes. A restriction is placed on my soul. Even if I want to hold a sword, I probably won’t be able to use swordsmanship.”

Martha nodded, saying the vow of blood had wrapped around her soul.

“You… no… uh….”

Burren only moved his lips as though he didn’t know what to say.

“I’m fine. Because thanks to it, I was able to finish my revenge.”

Martha gave a refreshing smile, saying she didn’t regret it at all.

“Hhuek!”

“Squad leader….”

“Martha….”

The Light Wind swordsmen, as if sensing Martha’s resolve, did not ask anything more and only bit their lips.

“I'll tell you what happened after that. As the hilt of the Blade of Requiem shattered….

To ease the heavy atmosphere, Raon began speaking about what had happened with Rimmer.

“Gambling with vengeful spirits? That elf hasn’t changed.”

Burren gave a short laugh, as if Rimmer’s pathetic face had come to mind.

“Yeah. Still an idiot….”

Runaan slightly raised the corners of her lips and gave a small nod.

“It was really comfortable when master was teaching….”

Krein closed his eyes, saying that only after it had passed did he realize Rimmer’s value.

“At least he never tried to kill us. Here, it’s hell….”

Dorian let out a sigh, saying the level of training was different.

“It’s thanks to that hellish training from the palace master that we’re alive now.”

Mark Goetten placed his hand on his saber, saying it was because they had faced the Heart Sword that they could endure the White Blood Religion’s leader’s pressure.

“That’s true.”

Martha nodded in agreement.

“If not for that training, I would’ve died long ago.”

She let out a faint smile, saying it was thanks to having gone through such harsh training that she was able to endure.

“And then… ah!”

Hearing a groan at her side, Martha quickly turned her gaze.

“Are you conscious?”

She saw Denier, who had collapsed, struggling to raise his eyelids, and immediately ran to him.

“Ma… Martha….”

Denier muttered Martha’s name in a parched voice.

“Are… are you okay?”

Martha held Denier’s hand. Seeing the earnestness flowing in her eyes, it seemed she still regarded Denier as her father.

“I’m sorry. Truly, I’m sorry….”

Denier kept repeating apologies in his rough, scraping voice.

“Don’t speak! The medical team will be here if you wait a little!”

Martha cried out for him to stay still, pressing down on his shoulders so he couldn’t move.

“I… I was born in a false place, but thanks to you, at the very end I was able to live a true life.”

Denier slowly raised his hand with a gentle smile.

“Truly, thank you.”

With his pale, shining finger, he tapped Martha’s forehead.

“Bloody energy?”

Runaan ground her teeth and drew her sword.

“No.”

Raon lifted his arm to stop Runaan. That was a technique of passing on one’s memories to another, the same way Rimmer had done to him.

“Ah, ahh….”

As though reading Denier’s memories, Martha sat dazed, then suddenly gasped and widened her eyes.

“Y-you. How could you do such a….”

Moisture welled up so thick in her eyes that her black pupils could no longer be seen.

“Thanks to you, I was able to die as a human….”

Denier drew a gentle father’s smile, as if to prove that he truly could call himself human.

“The remaining karma you have, I will take it with me.”

As though his true strength had returned, he stretched out his hand roughly and seized Martha’s wrist.

Wooooooong!

The blood of the vow that bound Martha’s soul began to be sucked into Denier.

“Let go! I said let go!”

Martha screamed and tried to shake off Denier’s hand, but he never let go.

It was as if he was pouring all the vitality of his final flash of life before death into it.

‘The vow has become a curse.’

Unlike Martha, who was keeping the promise, Denier, who tried to move her vow onto his own soul, suffered excruciating pain. That torment would likely not be erased, even in death.

“Kuh-euk….”

Denier vomited blood again and again as if the pain was unbearable, yet still he never released Martha’s wrist. His unyielding will blazed like flames above his red eyes.

Crackle!

At last, Denier swelled the Blood Vow that was binding Martha’s soul severalfold and dragged it into his own soul.

“W-why would you….”

“Because you were the light of my life.”

Denier lifted his trembling hand and wiped away the tears flowing from Martha’s eyes.

“My beloved daughter.”

With those words of love, he closed his eyes for the last time. His damp hand fell heavily to the ground like a stone.

“G-get up….”

Martha clutched Denier’s sleeve with trembling chin.

“Get up! You promised you’d tell me yourself! Not with memories, but with your own mouth!”

Striking the ground with her bleeding fist, she buried her face into Denier’s chest.

“Dad….”

 

Advance Chapters