The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1142

 Chapter 1142

 

“Sir Raon!”

“Raon!”

Just as Raon barely managed to stop Wrath from having a fit, the Holy King Hopen and Saintess Olga came running over.

“Truly… thank you.”

Hopen, as if forgetting his position as Holy King of Schper, bowed openly before everyone.

“You saved us.”

His voice trembled with emotion as he expressed his sincere gratitude.

“Please, don’t do this.”

Raon raised him up, saying it was nothing much. Half of it was sincere, the other half acting, so receiving such gratitude felt undeserved.

“Are you all right?”

Saintess Olga narrowed her eyes, looking more worried about his condition than anything else.

"If anything feels uncomfortable, tell me. No matter how tired I am, I can heal you."

She nodded firmly, as if ready to risk her life to do so.

“I’m fine.”

Raon waved his hand with a smile.

"I do have a few minor injuries, but both my body and mind are fine."

After entering a trance and awakening just moments ago, his body and mind were actually clearer than before the fight.

'To get this kind of opportunity here...'

I had only sparred with Lust to test my skill, never expecting both of us to fall into a trance and awaken.

‘I’ve definitely grown stronger.’

It wasn't just the principles that Lust mainly used, like precise sword, powerful sword, and swift sword that had improved, my proficiency with versatile sword had advanced across the board. I could clearly feel that my swordsmanship had grown stronger.

‘And on top of that…’

I had learned how to truly use emotions.

Unlike when I had unleashed the authorities of the Demon Kings in an explosion, focusing them into my sword had made their power far exceed expectations.

However, since those weren’t my own emotions but someone else’s, the drawback was heavy physical and mental fatigue.

‘In the end, I’ll have to strengthen myself.’

The will I had built since childhood, to never break. If I could perfectly infuse that emotion into my sword, I felt he could create a swordsmanship that would lose to no one.

‘Looks like I’ve found what to do before the war.’

Before facing Derus, I needed to further fortify my will and practice channeling emotion into my sword.

‘Of course, strengthening my might comes first.’

Even if I perfected that training, without strengthening my might, standing on the battlefield of the absolutes would be impossible. The most important thing was to strengthen my own might.

Grrrr...

As his thoughts settled, a grinding sound came from Wrath.

You vile bastard! You’re always hogging everything for yourself!

He roared furiously, claiming even Greed wouldn’t be so gluttonous.

‘Hogging? What are you talking about?’

Raon blinked at Wrath.

You devoured Lust’s swordsmanship, the humans’ goodwill, and even the King of Essence’s backbone! Haven’t you sucked everything dry, you wretch!?

Wrath frowned, saying he’d have to fuse Greed and Gluttony to satisfy Raon’s desires at this point.

‘Well… when you put it like that, it kind of makes sense.’

Raon chuckled faintly and nodded.

'I didn't expect results this good either.'

As Wrath said, thanks to Lust I had improved my swordsmanship, the Holy Kingdom of Scpher's favor toward me had grown far larger than before, and I had even received rewards from the system. I couldn't help but smile at results that exceeded my expectations.

'I wish it were always like this.'

You filthy bastard!

‘When we get back, I’ll buy you all the ice bead ice cream you want.’

Raon patted Wrath’s back gently, saying he’d been a big help.

Kngh….

Wrath groaned in frustration but didn’t argue any further, he couldn’t bring himself to give up on the bead ice cream.

'This time I'll really keep the promise.'

Raon’s lips curved faintly as he looked at Wrath’s contorted face—

“Haaaah….”

Holy King Hopen's smiling face fell, and he let out a long sigh.

“What’s wrong?”

Raon turned toward him.

"Thanks to you, Sir Raon, fortunately there were no casualties, but I'm at a loss as to how we'll restore this mess."

Hopen squeezed his eyes shut as he looked at the rubble of land and buildings collapsed by his sword dance with Lust.

“There he goes again, worrying too much.”

Saintess Olga frowned and smacked Hopen’s back with her palm.

“Like you said, everyone’s alive! The land and buildings can just be rebuilt!”

She hit his back again, telling him not to frown when they hadn’t lost what mattered most. Watching them, it was hard to tell who the king actually was.

"I- I'm sorry. Now that I think about it, you're right."

Hopen nodded, saying he’d focus on the good rather than the bad.

‘Hmm….’

Raon followed Hopen's gaze and scanned the ruined northern central district.

‘It really is a wreck.’

I hadn’t noticed it while he was in a trance, but now that I looked around, the northern central district was in ruins, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say an entire section of the city had collapsed.

'If you come down to it, it's all because of me and Wrath.'

Lust had come here because of the traces left by Wrath, and since Lust and I had blown everything around us away with our sword dance, it was only right that I take responsibility.

"Come to think of it, there's something odd."

Olga narrowed her eyes toward the spot Lust had vanished from.

"Before that witch who looks like a demon king left, she looked very cheerful. She didn't seem like someone who would think about dying, but then she suddenly had a gloomy face, apologized, and vanished. I don't know what's going on."

She shook her head, unable to understand Lust’s actions.

“Ah….”

Raon swallowed dryly under Olga’s serious gaze.

'I have to stop that.'

It hadn’t been some prearranged act, and since Olga had heard the conversation up close, she must’ve sensed that something was off. I needed to steer her thoughts elsewhere.

Thud!

Raon took out bundles of gold coins and gold ingots from his subspace pocket and set them down before Olga and Hopen. The pile was so massive that the ground trembled slightly beneath its weight.

“Wh-what is this?”

Hopen’s jaw quivered as he stared at the mound of gold coins and ingots.

“Why are you suddenly showing off your…”

Olga's mouth formed an O as if she couldn't understand it.

"Use this to give aid to the residents who were here and to help with the reconstruction."

Raon nodded to Olga and Hopen, saying that the gold was for that purpose.

“What? Why would you give that!”

“She’s right! You saved us, Sir Raon. We absolutely can’t accept this!”

Both Olga and Hopen waved their hands in refusal.

“I caused more than half of the damage. And besides, we’re not exactly strangers. I should help where I can.”

Raon shook his head, insisting they take it.

"If you consider me your benefactor, then please accept them. And..."

He turned slightly and gestured toward Dorian behind him.

“Yes, sir!”

As if he’d been waiting to be called, Dorian stepped forward immediately.

"If you have materials to restore this place, take them out."

"Of course I do! They're necessities!"

Dorian shouted his favorite word, “necessities!”, and began pulling out materials from his belly pocket, ones that could fill the destroyed ground and rebuild the fallen structures.

But the amount was beyond imagination. Before long, piles of construction materials had been stacked before everyone's eyes.

“T-this much?”

Olga widened her eyes at Dorian in disbelief.

“Even a subspace pocket has its limits,  how in the world….”

Hopen blinked, surprised that Dorian's belly pocket could hold that much.

"With this amount, we can really rebuild everything..."

Raon exhaled softly, staring at the mountain of materials.

“When did you even gather all this?”

I thought I’d gotten used to Dorian by now, but apparently not. Honestly, I hadn’t expected him to have everything needed to build a small village from the ground up.

"Because they're necessities!"

Dorian grinned broadly, clearly pleased to be acknowledged for the first time in a while, and nodded.

“Well, anyway, please accept it all. As allied forces, I believe this is the least we can do.”

Raon gave a faint smile, saying they could repay it later when things got better, but, of course, he had no intention of ever taking it back.

“Woooow…”

“I can’t believe he handed over such a fortune.”

“So that’s the Sword Emperor, Raon Zieghart…”

“Money aside, just giving those construction materials is astonishing! Those are all top-grade materials!”

“I didn’t know Zieghart was such a generous house…”

The holy knights and priests let out sincere exclamations, once again astonished by Raon’s magnanimity.

“Truly… thank you.”

Hopen pressed his lips together, as if holding back tears, and bowed deeply.

“I’ll be sure to repay this favor. No—”

He bit his lip and grabbed Raon’s hand tightly.

“I’ll repay it with my life, and with this kingdom’s life as well!”

It was an answer so firm that no further questions were needed.

“Don’t just say it, take out the emblem!”

Olga kicked Hopen on the backside as he was getting emotional again. With the way she kept hitting him, it was hard to tell who the king really was.

“He must’ve come all the way here to get support for Zieghart’s successor.”

She mentioned “successor” as if she already knew about Raon’s circumstances.

“This is the emblem of the Holy Kingdom of Schper entrusted to me.”

Hopen pulled out an emblem from inside his armor, engraved with the image of a praying figure, and handed it to Raon.

“No matter the situation or crisis Sir Raon faces, Schper will stake everything and come running!”

He nodded heavily, as if to tell him to rely on them.

“We’ll come no matter what!”

“Please call for us!”

“We support you as Zieghart’s successor. No, as the head of house!”

“If it’s Sir Raon’s word, we’d believe it even if the sun rose from the west!”

The holy knights and priests, sharing Hopen’s emotion, clasped their hands and looked at Raon with eyes full of conviction.

‘Second stroke of luck.’

Raon met their earnest gazes and smiled faintly.

‘The Holy Kingdom’s support, and it’s even greater than expected.’

After driving Lust away and even providing funds and materials, the Holy Kingdom of Schper’s goodwill toward me had risen sharply. Their already solid support had grown even stronger, at this point, if I were to ask them to take part in the war against Derus, it wouldn’t be strange if the entire kingdom answered the call.

“Then, may I ask you for one favor in advance?”

Raon took a step closer to Hopen and Olga.

“Of course.”

Hopen nodded, as if telling him to just speak.

“…”

Olga crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes slightly, as if telling him to go on.

“As you may already know, in one year and one month, there will be a war against Derus Robert, and Eden.

Would you fight alongside us in that war?”

Raon extended his hand, asking them not to stay in the rear but to stand shoulder to shoulder with them on the frontlines.

Thud!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Hopen grasped Raon’s hand firmly.

“Of course! As I said before, Schper will stake everything to fight by your side, Sir Raon!”

He pounded his chest with his fist, as if to prove his resolve.

“Hmph. Why even ask about something so obvious?”

Olga snorted, as though he’d asked an unnecessary question.

“Thank you.”

Grrrkk.

Raon bowed his head with a smile, while Wrath let out a groan, as though his heart ached.

This kingdom is doomed! It’s been devoured by that fiend bastard!

But in contrast to Wrath’s lament, smiles bloomed on everyone else’s faces.

*   *   *

Raon entered the palace lodging Hopen personally showed him and lay down on the bed.

“Ugh…”

After washing up and lying down, a wave of exhaustion hit him. His body felt heavy, his mind foggy, he could fall asleep just like that.

A young man groaning like that, honestly!

Wrath scrunched his nose, clearly displeased.

‘Hmm, looks like your mood’s improved a bit though.’

Raon gave a faint chuckle at Wrath’s slightly lifted eyes. The good dinner at the palace seemed to have improved his mood.

Nonsense! The King of Essence’s foul mood won’t lift until he freezes you solid!

Wrath growled, warning him not to let his guard down, he might turn him into an ice block tonight.

‘Oh? If you’re in such a bad mood, then this is the perfect time to check it now.’

Raon raised his hand with a faint grin.

What are you talking about?

‘You know, the thing I haven’t checked yet.’

Th-the system reward!

Wrath gasped as he finally remembered the system’s reward.

‘Right. Time to see what it is.’

Just as Raon reached out to bring up the reward message—which he hadn't been able to see properly because of Wrath’s tantrum and Olga and Hopen had arrived—

“Wrath!”

Suddenly, pink smoke burst from the air, and Lust’s face popped out. She must have been following and watching all along before finally losing patience and appearing.

Kyaaaah!

Wrath screamed the moment he saw Lust and backed up against the wall.

“I couldn’t help it, I just wanted to see you, even for a bit!”

Lust formed a body from the pink smoke and dashed toward him—

Thuuud!

A wall of blue light shot up, blocking her path.

Wuuuuum!

From within the blue dimension, Evelyn stepped out, her long purple hair rippling as she narrowed her eyes.

“How dare you.”

She shook her head sharply, as if telling Lust not to come any closer.

Guaaaah...

Wrath, seeing both Lust and now Evelyn appear one after another, melted onto the floor, mouth agape as though his heart had exploded.

“You again?”

Lust clicked her tongue, annoyed to see her again.

“I don’t like seeing you either.”

Evelyn wrinkled her nose, equally annoyed at seeing Lust again.

Ssshhh.

Raon slowly lowered his raised hand and curled his lips slightly.

“He was planning to have you meet anyway, so this works out nicely.”

He nodded at Evelyn and Lust, remarking that they had arrived at the perfect time.

“I knew it! You wanted to see me!”

Lust beamed, as if she’d expected it.

“Not you. He wanted to see me.”

Evelyn shook her head sharply.

“No, me!”

“It’s me!”

“It’s me!”

“It’s me!”

“Wrath doesn’t want to see you!”

“It’s Raon, not Wrath!”

The two Transcenders pressed their foreheads together, bickering childishly without giving an inch.

“Enough.”

When Raon raised his hand, Evelyn and Lust both stepped back instantly, as if they hadn’t been arguing at all.

“Lust.”

At the sound of her name, Lust’s face brightened.

“Yes, Wrath!”

“You said you’d do anything for the King of Essence, didn’t you?”

“Of course!”

Lust nodded eagerly, as if to tell him to just say the word.

“Then can you transfer your authority to Evelyn?”

Raon pointed toward Evelyn with his finger.

“If you turn your lust into obsession, transferring your authority shouldn’t be difficult.”

Evelyn, when it came to obsession, wasn’t one to fall behind anyone, so it was clear she and Lust would make a good match.

“Hmm…”

Lust clicked her tongue softly as she studied Evelyn with a serious gaze.

“I really can’t stand that woman, but since it’s your request, I’ll do it. However…”

She looked Evelyn up and down and shook her head.

“There’s one emotion that’s just as strong as her obsession.”

“An emotion as strong as her obsession?”

Raon’s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Lust and Evelyn. He’d thought obsession was the strongest emotion she had, he hadn’t imagined there’d be another that could rival it.

“Envy.”

Lust looked at Evelyn with a sly smile.

“That woman’s envy runs deep.” 

 

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