The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1104

 Chapter 1104

 

“Haah….”

Raon frowned as he looked at the swirling crimson wind.

‘Even with only the soul left, there’s someone this easy to predict.’

I thought Rimmer would go to Seipia after leaving me, and that prediction was right.

The bloody wind and fog now shrouding the great forest were the malice brought by Rimmer’s soul.

That shitty ears bastard is the same whether he lives or dies.

Wrath let out a hollow laugh, finding it absurd.

Isn’t he here just because that energy annoys him and he wants it dealt with?

He sneered, saying it seemed Rimmer had come to Seipia to erase the grudge clinging to his soul.

‘That’s not it.’

Raon calmly shook his head.

‘There’s a strong chance he came without knowing it would turn out like this.’

If you recall Rimmer’s words and actions when he was alive, it’s far more likely he came to Seipia just to say hello, without imagining it would lead to this result.

“T-the path opened?”

Martha stammered as she came up beside Raon.

“What did you just do?”

She widened her eyes at the sight of the fog, which even her sword hadn’t been able to cut, now parting.

“You managed with just a finger what even my magic couldn’t do!”

Evelyn beamed brightly as if praising him.

“As expected of our Raon!”

She nodded, saying this was why she couldn’t help but follow him.

“Uh, um, Sir Raon.”

Dorian swallowed dryly as he stood behind Raon.

“What are you seeing? Why do you keep… staring at empty air…?”

He quivered his shoulders as if feeling fear.

“Don’t you all feel something when you look at that wind?”

Raon raised his finger and pointed to the wind and fog swirling above the great forest.

“It reeks of blood to a vile degree, but it’s different from bloody energy.”

Evelyn examined the mana itself, as if approaching it like a magician would.

“It hasn’t been purified either, nor is it natural. Strange.”

She shrugged, saying she couldn’t figure it out with her knowledge.

“Hmm.”

Martha let out a low groan as she fixed her gaze on the crimson fog.

“It’s not bloody energy, like she said. But…”

She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, as though she didn’t understand it herself.

“Strangely, it feels… nostalgic.”

As she said it, Martha scratched her head, unsettled by the odd feeling.

“N-nostalgic? From that?”

Dorian gulped hard and stepped forward.

“It should just be a chilling wind and fog, but… huh?”

Staring blankly at the crimson fog, his mouth opened slowly.

“Y-you’re right!”

Dorian’s chin trembled as he said he felt the same thing as Martha.

“I don’t know why, but my chest aches. Like my insides are twisting…?”

He bit his lip, saying it was both bitter and nostalgic at once.

How strange.

Wrath briefly smacked his lips as he looked at Dorian and Martha.

Only someone at your level should be able to detect the faintly remaining energy of that Shitty Ears.

He let out a short exclamation, surprised that Dorian and Martha could sense Rimmer’s energy.

‘No. Dorian and Martha aren’t sensing master’s energy.’

Raon quietly shook his head.

Then what?

‘They felt the memories dwelling in master’s soul.’

As Wrath had said, Martha and Dorian could not directly sense Rimmer’s presence in the crimson wind and fog.

Instead, they were perceiving him through the time and memories they had shared with him.

“What is this…?”

Martha pressed a hand to her chest, furrowing her brow.

“What is that fog, that it makes my chest ache like this?”

She put her hand on her sword, as if wondering if it might be some special curse.

“My chest doesn’t feel right either. But I don’t want to back away….”

Though afraid, Dorian clenched his fist, saying he didn’t want to leave this place.

“That wind and fog…”

Raon raised his hand and pointed to the crimson wind and fog that seemed to have drawn nearer.

“…are what master’s soul has summoned. It seems he came here after leaving the Blade of Requiem.”

He revealed the identity of the wind and fog to the two of them.

“M-Master? So that’s why these feelings…”

“No wonder I felt nostalgic. The only one who could give me feelings like this is that gambler.”

Dorian widened his eyes in surprise, while Marta let out a deflated laugh as if she had expected it.

“Rimmer…?”

Evelyn tilted her head as if she still didn’t understand, showing that she couldn’t sense it at all since she hadn’t spent much time with him.

“But then, why is master blocking Seipia in that form…?”

Dorian tilted his head widely, unable to understand.

“You know very well what kind of person our master is.”

Raon looked at the wind and fog that seemed to be growing stronger and faintly curled his lips.

“The vengeful spirits of the Blade of Requiem tainted themselves with darkness to take revenge on the White Blood Religion’s leader. Master accepted that darkness himself in order to somehow save them.”

From the time Rimmer came out of the Blade of Requiem, lingering grudges had already been attached to him. At the time, I thought they weren’t so great and that he could purify them himself, but now it seems that was just the tip of the iceberg.

“It seems master came here to purify the grudges clinging to him, but couldn’t withstand it and became trapped.”

The most important reason for coming to Seipia was to tell them of Rimmer’s situation and to gain the Protector’s support. I had thought something like this might happen, but didn’t expect my prediction to strike so precisely.

It is as you said.

Wrath gave a heavy nod.

That Shitty Ears, It seems he wanted to save the spirits in that sword somehow, even if it meant taking all the malice upon himself.

Wrath bitterly clicked his tongue, saying Rimmer was truly meddlesome.

“Ah…!”

Dorian groaned as if he finally understood, looking at the crimson wind. Moisture began to well up in his eyes.

“He should’ve just slept as always, instead of meddling needlessly….”

Martha sighed and bit her lip.

“Then, the fact that the path opened like this…”

Evelyn looked at the parted fog in front of Raon and furrowed her brows.

“…is his way of asking for help.”

Raon gave a faint smile and nodded.

“He hasn’t changed.”

Just as they were about to step into the great forest through the opened fog—

“Don’t move!”

A cold warning came from deep within the dim forest.

Fwooosh!

At the same time, sharp killing intent spread out in all directions. From between the fog-shrouded trees and brush, countless presences of elves could be felt.

“Release the curse you placed on this forest at once!”

From the center of that killing intent came a familiar woman’s voice.

Though her face couldn’t be seen through the fog Rimmer had spread and the thick undergrowth, it was instantly clear who she was.

“Lady Siyan?”

Raon called out the name that matched the familiar voice.

“Uh…?”

With a startled sound, the fog split wider, revealing the face of the elf standing at the front.

“Wha—what?”

Siyan gaped as she looked at him.

“Sir Raon!”

*   *   *

“I-I’m sorry!”

Siyan bent deeply at the waist to Raon.

“Since the fog I couldn’t erase with my ability suddenly split apart, I assumed the sorcerer who had cast the spell had come!”

She apologized again, saying that because of the fog she couldn’t see his face nor even sense his presence.

“I understand. I couldn’t see Lady Siyan’s face either.”

Raon waved his hand, saying it was fine.

“But… did you call this fog a curse?”

He lifted his finger and pointed toward the crimson fog Rimmer had brought.

“Isn’t it a curse?”

Siyan tilted her head as if wondering why he would ask something so obvious.

“It blocked us from leaving and prevented anyone outside from coming in, so I naturally thought it was a curse. But I never imagined who could have cast it….”

She blinked, saying she hadn’t been able to think of it as anything else but a curse.

“Well, that’s understandable.”

Raon gave a thin smile and nodded.

“But…”

Siyan frowned as she looked up at the crimson, flickering fog.

“When I look at it, for some reason my chest aches. It doesn’t feel like the effect of a curse.”

She pressed down on her lips, admitting she didn’t understand the reason herself.

“……”

Raon narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Siyan, who had bowed her head.

‘So blood really is thicker than water?’

Seeing her feel longing and sadness without any prior information about what had happened to Rimmer, it seemed family was indeed different.

“Sir Raon, what brings you here? Don’t tell me you came to help us?”

Siyan looked at him with eyes full of expectation.

“Well, yes.”

Raon nodded slowly.

“I have something important to say, and that fog needs to be dealt with.”

“What is it you need to say?”

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“I’ll speak of it together when I meet Sir Sterin. It would be best if both of you hear it.”

“Ah, that’s true. I’m sorry….”

She bowed deeply, saying she had been impatient. Her face flushed red, as if she had gone back to the shy days of her past.

“Ah, but before that, just one thing.”

Siyan raised her finger.

“Please don’t tell grandpa about this fog and wind. It would worry him.”

She clasped her hands together as she asked.

“Sirf Sterin doesn’t know about this situation?”

Raon widened his eyes.

“No. You’ll understand why when you see him. This way.”

Siyan gave a faint, bitter smile, then quickly led him through the forest, guiding him to Seipia.

“Savior!”

“Our savior has returned!”

“Could it be you’ve come to erase that fog and wind?”

“There’s no one else but him!”

The elves of Seipia bent their backs to him as though worshipping him. They seemed to hold him even higher than Siyan herself.

This isn’t a very good situation

Wrath slightly furrowed his eyes.

‘Why?’

Even if you’re annoyingly handsome and a little strong, the master of this land is that high elf.

He was still sulking about Raon’s face, bringing up appearance first.

But don’t you see? Everyone’s putting aside that high elf and thinking you’ll be the one to solve the problem. As a king, that’s absolutely not a good thing.

Wrath snorted, saying it was something he had to think about carefully.

‘…I see.’

Raon nodded calmly, understanding what Wrath meant.

“You remember, don’t you? It’s here.”

Ignoring the other elves’ words, Siyan led Raon to a small hut. This shabby place was Sterin’s home.

“Grandpa might be sleeping, so I’ll go check first.”

“Come in.”

Just as she reached for the door, Sterin’s voice came from within. His voice was weak, like that of one just risen from sleep.

“Seems he’s awake. Let’s go in.”

Siyan smiled awkwardly, opened the old hut’s door, and stepped inside.

Whoosh.

Following her in, Raon was greeted by the refreshing scent of herbs that lifted his spirits.

“Ah…”

Raon let out a heavy groan as he saw Sterin lying on the bed.

‘Why is he like this….’

It was true that Sterin had been nearing death, but Raon had thought his lifespan had lengthened after attaining enlightenment.

Yet the Sterin before me now was so aged it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any moment. Like grass yellowed from drought, there was no vitality left in him.

“It’s been a while.”

Sterin raised his head with difficulty and smiled.

“P-Protector, I greet you.”

Raon, after standing blankly, hurriedly bent in a bow.

“I’m not the Protector. I’m the former one. The current Protector is right by your side.”

Sterin pointed with a trembling finger at Siyan, who stood at his side.

“……”

Unable to bear the sight of her grandfather, Siyan stared only at her toes.

“Well, seeing me in this state, it’s only natural you’d be shocked.”

Sterin smiled wrinkledly, saying he understood.

“What in the world happened? Did some enemy invade…?”

Raon had come to tell his story, but first he wanted to hear Sterin’s.

“It was merely my greed.”

Sterin let out a long sigh.

“Wanting to watch over this child a little longer, I grew greedy, and in the end I lost what I had gained.”

He said he had tried to surpass a wall, using his enlightenment to extend his lifespan, but failed. His smile was bitter.

“I see….”

That alone told me enough. Out of worry for Siyan, who would be left alone, Sterin had sought to extend his life, but instead had drawn nearer to death.

“Raon. You came to help us, didn’t you?”

Sterin gave a faint smile as he looked up at the hut’s ceiling.

“To erase the fog and wind enshrouding the forest.”

Contrary to what Siyan had said, he was fully aware of Seipia’s situation.

“You—you knew?”

Siyan’s eyes flew wide, as though the thought had never occurred to her.

“Even lying here, I was once the Protector of this land. Naturally I could know.”

He gently waved his hand, as if telling her not to underestimate him.

“Grandpa…”

Siyan’s brows trembled as she felt his consideration.

“I’m sorry that you’ve come all this way, but this matter must be resolved by me and this child.”

Sterin tightly clasped the hand of Siyan, who was standing by his bed.

“Siyan has not yet been acknowledged by everyone in Seipia. If she resolves this, she can truly become the Protector.”

He nodded heavily, as though sharing the same concern that Wrath had voiced.

“Grandpa, I…”

“You don’t need to say it. That’s what family is.”

Sterin gently stroked Siyan’s head, telling her not to worry.

“Uhm…”

Raon, watching the warmth flowing between Siyan and Sterin, moistened his dry lips and spoke.

“The fog and wind enshrouding Seipia right now…”

Even in this situation, no, precisely because of this situation, there was something I had to say first.

“They were brought here by my master, who is also your family member, Rimmer….”

Raon closed his eyes tightly as he revealed the truth.

Thud!

At that moment, Sterin, who couldn’t even move his fingers properly, kicked off the old bed and abruptly sprang to his feet.

“That damned rascal!”

His eyes flashed with a savage light, as if he would beat Rimmer to a pulp right then if he were in front of him.

As expected, that Shitty Ears is different!

Wrath nodded vigorously as if he now had to acknowledge it.

He can even raise a dying elf to his feet!

 

 

Advance Chapters