The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1103

 Chapter 1103

 

“Sir Raon.”

Denning Rose caught her breath slightly and called Raon.

“Did you know what is happening in Seipia?”

She widened her eyes, as if wondering how he could already know, since she herself had only recently heard the news.

“No. This is the first I’ve heard of it, thanks to you, Lady Denning Rose. However…”

Raon shook his head, saying it wasn’t something he had known beforehand.

“I only thought that such a thing might happen.”

Considering past incidents and the personality of a certain person he knew, it was something that could very well occur, so he wasn’t surprised.

“W-what is it? Don’t tell me remnants of the White Blood Religion are still around?”

Dorian’s chin trembled as if in fear. Hearing of wind and fog carrying the scent of blood seemed to have made him think of the White Blood Religion.

“They’re still alive?”

Martha furrowed her brows deeply, hand already on her sword.

“It’s a good thing they came out. Those bastards are mine to kill!”

She ground her teeth, vowing to erase the very name of the White Blood Religion completely.

“There are still remnants of the White Blood Religion. But the executives leading them are not archbishops, only lower bishops. They pose no threat to Zieghart or to the Five Kings.”

Denning Rose lowered her hand, saying the remnants were so worthless they could be considered as good as gone.

“If they’re using sorcery or magic strong enough to threaten Seipia, then it absolutely can’t be the White Blood Religion.”

She shook her head, saying there wasn’t a single bloody demon left in this world who had surpassed the Grandmaster.

“Can you tell me exactly what the situation in Seipia is?”

Raon turned his body toward Denning Rose.

“We also haven’t yet grasped Seipia’s circumstances completely.”

Denning Rose clasped her hands together as if apologetic.

“What I know for now is that red fog and wind are raging through Seipia, so people cannot enter, and even the elves cannot come out.”

“So there’s no way in or out.”

Raon nodded, saying he now understood what the problem was.

“Yes. As you know, Sir Raon, Seipia is currently engaged in trade with others, especially a lot of dealings with Zieghart. But I heard they’re suffering heavy losses because the crimson fog has cut off all travel.”

She narrowed her eyes, saying that the path leading to Seipia was completely blocked.

“So that fog wasn’t produced from within Seipia.”

Martha raised her brows, saying it seemed to be something that had happened from outside.

“Should I go and cut it down?”

She smacked her lips as though asking to be entrusted with it.

“No, I can sweep it away with my magic.”

Evelyn raised a magic circle above her palm, unwilling to lose to Martha.

“Hmph.”

“Hoo.”

The two women smiled at each other, but there wasn’t the slightest trace of friendliness in their faces.

“Ugh….”

Dorian quietly stepped back, looking fed up with Martha and Evelyn trying to resolve things so recklessly.

You. Just what do you know?

Wrath tapped Raon's shoulder as if giving him a massage, telling him to speak up if he knew something.

'I don't know for sure right now either. However...'

Raon gently grasped the scabbard of the Wooden Ring Sword. Feeling a clear, fragrant breeze blowing from the sky above, he let a faint smile appear on his lips.

'I might be able to solve the problem.'

* * *

“Grandpa!”

Siyan, the high elf and current Protector of Seipia, raised her voice as she stepped into a small, worn-down hut.

“Have you eaten?”

She approached Sterin, the previous Protector, who was sunk deep into a tilted chair.

“Siyan….”

Sterin slowly lifted his head. His whole body was shriveled like petals beginning to wither, his face engraved with deep, indelible wrinkles.

“You must be busy. Why have you come here?”

Sterin forced his dry lips to part.

“I came to make sure you had a meal, of course!”

Siyan lifted her chin, as though asking why he was even questioning something so obvious.

“I told you, I’m fine….”

Sterin shook his head, saying he would eat on his own and she needn’t worry.

“If I don’t come, you don’t eat at all!”

Siyan sighed and set the fruit she’d brought on the worn table.

"I still have the Nadine bread you gave me."

Sterin pointed to the Nadine bread placed by the window. It seemed to have been untouched for a long time, as the bread was hard as a rock.

“Not that. You need to eat something nutritious!”

Siyan pushed aside the Nadine bread she had made and placed the fruit down.

“All right. All right, I got it.”

Sterin let out a small laugh, still unable to win against his granddaughter. With trembling hands, he lifted a well-ripened apple.

“Haa….”

But he lacked the strength even to bite into it. His teeth only left marks on the peel before his hand lowered again.

“Grandpa….”

Siyan bit her lip, distressed that Sterin could not even eat fruit properly.

“I’ll cut it for you!”

She raised her voice deliberately and cut the apple into small pieces with a wooden knife.

“Thank you.”

Sterin let out a murky sigh, frustrated with his weakened body and spirit, then put the piece of apple Siyan had cut into his mouth.

“To think the one who invented Nadine bread because eating meals was troublesome would now be cutting fruit for me. Truly, elves have to live long to see everything.”

He gave a faint smile, satisfied with the way Siyan had changed for the better.

“I can do anything for you. So you have to live a long, long time!”

Siyan held Sterin’s wrinkled hand tightly, asking him to stay with her always.

“Elves do live longer than other races, but when the time comes, it’s the same for us too.”

Sterin shook his head with an awkward smile.

“You can’t go against the will of nature.”

“Grandpa!”

Siyan furrowed her brows, unwilling to hear it.

“You will be able to become a far greater, more benevolent Protector than I. Even now, so many already follow you, don’t they.”

Sterin smiled at her, saying she was already doing very well.

“No! I’m still lacking so much!”

Siyan’s eyes reddened as she begged him not to say such things.

“My brother is gone already, if you disappear too, grandpa, I can’t bear it.”

She buried her face into Sterin’s chest, pleading for him to stay with her until the end.

“Yes, yes, I will….”

Sterin forced strength into his trembling hand and gently stroked his granddaughter’s head.

“Hic….”

Siyan smeared tears and snot on Sterin’s shirt, then slowly lifted her head.

“Seeing you like this, you really are still a child.”

Sterin smiled faintly and wiped the tears and snot from her face with a handkerchief.

“I told you. I’m still a child!”

Siyan pouted, insisting she was still young and immature.

“Heh.”

Sterin smiled softly, finding his grown-up granddaughter adorable.

“Ah, have you been hearing from Ellaim these days?”

“Yes, she often speaks to me.”

Siyan nodded, saying Ellaim had been the one to initiate contact more frequently.

“She said it looks like the stabilization of the spirit realm will soon be finished.”

The Spirit King of Water, Ellaim, and the Spirit King of Fire, Ifrit, were still tied up with stabilization work in the Spiritual Realm, so they couldn’t be summoned whenever she wished.

But now that the work was nearing its end, Elaim had begun speaking to her first more often.

“That’s a relief….”

Sterin nodded calmly, as if feeling a sense of relief. He seemed tired from talking so much, and his eyelids drooped.

“Please lie down now.”

Siyan supported him and laid him on the bed.

“I’ll be going. I still have work left.”

“All right. You’ve worked hard.”

Sterin lowered his eyes deeply, as if acknowledging her efforts.

“I’ll come again!”

She said she would return in the evening and left Sterin’s room.

“Haaah….”

Sterin let out a long, heavy sigh as he looked up at the old ceiling, worn like his own skin.

‘It’s not that I don’t understand Siyan’s feelings… but holding out is no easy thing.’

The only people she’s ever followed were Rimmer and me. But Rimmer is gone, and I too am racing toward death. No wonder her face grows darker with each passing day.

‘It’s far too heavy a burden for her.’

With her abilities, Siyan could become a protector who even surpasses me. But she’s still so young, so unrefined. She’s spent too long shut away, still has much to learn, and her heart is as fragile as glass.

As she said, I wanted to teach her more and let her experience more.

‘If only I had reached that enlightenment.’

When Eden and the dragons had attacked Seipia, I had gained a small enlightenment thanks to Raon.

I had hoped to use it to step into the realm where lifespan could be extended. But I failed. And instead, old age and death came rushing in even faster.

‘I’m sorry, Siyan.’

It’s only for her sake that I’m forcing myself to cling to life, but the limits are far too clear.

“Foolish child.”

Sterin closed his eyes tightly and let out a long sigh.

“Why did you have to go like that….”

*   *   *

Siyan leaned her back against the outer wall of Sterin’s house and bit her lip.

‘Grandpa. I’m sorry.’

But if Sterin were to leave her too, just as Rimmer had, she felt as if she would die right alongside him. That was why, no matter what, she wanted to remain by his side, even if only for a little while longer.

‘If only Sir Raon were here… I could endure it.’

Raon was someone who, like Rimmer and Sterin, could give her peace of mind. Just seeing him would ease the weight in her heart.

But Raon was far too busy, moving tirelessly for Zieghart and the entire continent, so busy that even two bodies would not be enough. Even if she wanted to call out to him, she couldn’t.

“Protector.”

Erian, the head of the Guardians, approached Siyan and bowed his head.

“Is the former Protector alright?”

“He keeps struggling….”

Siyan bit her lip, as though weighed down by guilt.

“Protector, please do not blame yourself too much. The former Protector surely understands.”

Erian firmly held Siyan’s trembling shoulders.

“Protector….”

Siyan closed her eyes deeply at his words, then opened them again.

“You’re right. I am the Protector, so I must not let myself sink.”

Perhaps in front of Sterin, but not before the elves she had to protect, she could not show them her weakness.

“Let’s deal with that first.”

Siyan narrowed her eyes as she looked at the red fog and wind covering Seipia’s barrier.

‘What is that fog?’

The wind and fog carried a thick blood-scent, as if soaked in the blood of countless people, yet strangely she could not sense any evil energy from it.

“No matter how I look at it, I cannot tell. Who would do such a thing, and for what purpose?”

Erian too furrowed his eyes, saying he had never seen such a strange fog.

“The problem is, it doesn’t disappear easily either.”

When Siyan lowered her finger, a unicorn shimmering in blue light appeared in the air, the highest-level water spirit.

“Attack.”

When she pointed at the red fog that covered the sky, a massive stream of water surged from the unicorn’s horn and pierced the fog.

Fwoooosh!

But the fog restored itself instantly, filling in the torn space as if nothing had happened.

Even water magic imbued with the power of a highest-level spirit could not break through the red fog and wind.

“It looks like a powerful curse. But….”

Siyan narrowed her eyes as she studied the roiling fog.

“…it has no hostility at all.”

Normally, when one strikes at a strong curse, a backlash greater than the attack follows. Yet this fog gave no reaction, simply wrapping around Seipia.

‘The White Blood Religion has been destroyed, and neither Eden nor Derus should be moving at this time. No, more than that….’

Siyan’s fingertips trembled as she watched the crimson fog ripple like waves.

‘I can feel a familiar presence within the wind that protects this fog.’

Though the wind carried a foul stench of blood, strangely, there was also something nostalgic, even pure, emanating from it.

It was so faint I wanted to dismiss it as an illusion, but I felt it every time I looked, and it made her chest tighten.

‘Even so, I must erase it.’

Because grandpa would worry.

He had grown so aged and frail he could no longer even sense the fog. Before his worry grew heavier, I had to drive away the fog and wind.

‘Besides, it blocks access to Seipia.’

The fog was preventing intrusion from the outside while also stopping anyone inside from leaving. It seemed intended to isolate the elves completely.

Wooooom!

Siyan gathered her spirit power to its fullest, preparing to summon highest-level spirits all at once.

“Protector!”

Leiran came running, shouting like a battle cry.

“Humans are entering from the west!”

“Humans?”

Siyan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“With this fog here, how? Wait—who is coming in? Are they enemies?”

“They said they couldn’t see their faces because of the fog.”

Leiran shook her head, saying they hadn’t been able to confirm their identities yet.

“Then how did they get in? The fog has blocked the paths.”

Siyan furrowed her brows, not understanding.

“The fog….”

Leiran’s lips quivered as though she herself could hardly believe it.

“The fog… opened the path for them!”

*   *   *

Fwoooosh!

The great forest was shrouded by crimson fog, like a blackout curtain. From within the woods came the sound of wind so fierce it felt as though a storm was raging.

“Uwaah….”

Dorian gaped at the crimson fog encircling the forest.

“I-it’s real? A fog reeking of blood.”

Just looking at it made him shiver in fear.

“It’s bigger than I expected….”

Martha swallowed dryly, admitting she hadn’t expected it to be on this scale.

“I can erase it.”

Evelyn declared she could deal with it using her magic and fired a burning spear.

Flaaash!

But even after being struck by her magic, the crimson fog did not disappear, it remained in place.

“Erase, my ass! I’ll do it!”

Martha snorted and swung her sword, but the fog did not budge, standing like a solid wall.

“Did you even swing your sword? Not even a breeze came out.”

“Grr….”

Evelyn let out a mocking laugh, and Marta furrowed her brows.

“…….”

Raon said nothing and simply approached the red fog.

“Sir Raon, it’s dangerous! She said the fog forcefully pushes people away!”

Dorian shouted, reminding him of what Denning Rose had said.

“It’s fine.”

Despite Dorian’s warning, Raon did not stop and placed his hand on the crimson fog.

Fwaaah!

The crimson fog, said to repel humans and imprison elves, parted gently the moment it touched his hand, opening a path forward.

The pure fragrance of the great forest and its vast greenery swayed as though welcoming him.

“Uh….”

“What is this….”

Martha and Evelyn’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“As I thought.”

Raon nodded, saying he expected this.

‘You feel it too, don’t you?’

He turned his gaze to Wrath with a faint smile.

The King of Essence’s getting a little tired of this now.

Wrath furrowed his brow as he looked up at the sky where the crimson fog swayed.

That shitty ears bastard. When will he finally disappear!

Even zombies aren’t this persistent!

 

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