The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1189

 Chapter 1189

 

Morning breakfast time at the annex building.

On an ordinary day at the annex building, the table would be overflowing with laughter and conversation rather than food, but today a dim silence had settled over the entire dining hall.

“Hmm….”

Raon let out a thin groan and looked at the head of the table. In that seat, which was always empty, an old man with blond hair and red eyes, was sitting with heavy presence.

Glenn Zieghart. The strongest warrior on the continent was radiating the same heavy pressure as always, even during mealtime.

“Ahahaha!”

Edgar burst into a natural laugh, as if trying to ease the heavy atmosphere.

“Now that father is here, it feels like the annex building has brightened up. Especially since your hair is shining so brightly, it’s blinding! You look far more splendid than Raon or Sylvia!”

Rubbing his hands together like a fly, he praised how beautiful Glenn’s hair was.

That idiot….

Wrath let out a sigh, as if Edgar had said something wrong.

“Ahem!”

Glenn, seeming displeased by Edgar’s words, gave a rough cough and cast a chilling glare.

“My hair is far more splendid?”

He tilted his chin at Edgar, as if telling him to say that again.

“H-huh! Th-that is….”

Edgar averted his gaze under Glenn’s uncomfortable pressure and sucked in a sharp breath.

“Father.”

Sylvia, as if trying to change the mood, personally ladled out some stew and carefully set it down in front of Glenn.

“I made this beef stew myself. Please try it.”

She swallowed dryly, looking even more nervous than when she was in Rector’s presence.

“Hmm.”

Glenn nodded slightly and picked up his spoon. After scooping up the stew Sylvia had served, he slowly brought it to his mouth.

“It’s good.”

Unlike his serious expression, he raised his voice slightly and nodded with genuine approval.

“The flavor of the meat has melted in nicely. It might even be better than the chef at the main building.”

He tasted the stew again, looking as though he truly enjoyed it.

“R-really?”

The tension drained from Sylvia’s face, and a smile spread across her lips.

“I’m quite confident when it comes to stew. Raon has liked it since he was young.”

She clenched her fist, saying that thanks to Raon, she could make stew better than anyone.

“The other dishes should be good too. Everyone here cooks well.”

Sylvia nudged the dishes on the table slightly toward Glenn, saying they would all taste good.

“They certainly aren’t bad.”

Glenn nodded in satisfaction as he sampled the dishes Sylvia had pushed toward him one by one.

“They aren’t fancy, but they’re all made with care.”

Seemingly pleased with the food, a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Grandpa! Try this too! It's yummy!"

Sia beamed and cut off a piece of the steak she had been eating, placing it onto Glenn’s plate.

“S-Sia!”

Sylvia gasped and tried to stop her, but it was already too late.

A piece of Sia’s steak, drenched in sauce, dropped onto Glenn’s plate.

Paaak.

There was so much sauce on the steak that it splattered onto the white shirt Glenn was wearing, leaving brown stains.

“Ah!”

Thinking everything was ruined, Sylvia grabbed her head with trembling hands. She darted her eyes left and right, worried about what would come next.

“Oh my!”

“My goodness….”

“H-how could this happen. On the head of house’s clothes….”

The maids, including Helen, froze when they saw the steak sauce on Glenn’s clothes. Unable to wipe it off or clean it up, they could only fidget in place.

“Huh!”

Raon also froze in shock, his mouth hanging open.

‘Is… is this okay?’

Isn’t the table about to be flipped?

Glenn is a person who always shows a neat appearance, to the point that even in battle, not a speck of dust or blood would stain his uniform.

Naturally, he never spilled food or ate messily, so seeing Sia’s steak sauce on his shirt made everyone tense about what would happen next.

‘And he never eats sauce, either.’

Glenn often ate meat dishes, but perhaps for the sake of his health, he always ate them plainly, dipping them only in salt and pepper instead of sauce. Not knowing how he would react to the current situation, my stomach began to ache as if I were indigested.

This is dangerous, isn’t it?

Wrath narrowed his eyes as well, as if he couldn’t predict what would happen next.

“…….”

Glenn stared at the steak that had fallen onto his once spotless plate, then slowly lifted his fork. As if facing an enemy, an intense ripple emanated from his movements.

“F-Father!”

“Grandfather!”

Just as Sylvia and Raon raised their hands to stop him—

Puuk!

Glenn stabbed the sauce-soaked steak with his fork. Without the slightest hesitation, he put the steak straight into his mouth and chewed.

“Huh!”

“Ah….”

“F-Father….”

Helen covered her mouth, Raon let out an empty breath, and Sylvia called to Glenn in a trembling voice.

Since all three knew how clean a person Glenn was, they revealed their surprise without concealment.

“How is it?”

Sia smiled and looked at Glenn, paying no attention to the surrounding atmosphere.

“Hmmm!”

Glenn closed his eyes briefly as if thinking, then opened them and nodded broadly.

“It’s very delicious! Because Sia put so much sauce on it, it tastes even better!”

He deliberately left sauce at the corner of his mouth and showed Sia a bright smile.

“Right? Steak tastes best when you dip it in lots of sauce!”

Grinning, Sia took out another piece of meat, coated it with sauce, and handed it to Glenn.

“Thank you.”

Still smiling, Glenn ate all of the steak Sia gave him.

“F-Father….”

Sylvia blinked in confusion at this side of Glenn she was seeing for the first time.

“Sia has a good sense for food, too.”

Glenn laughed as if he truly liked it, sharing the dishes with Sia.

“You really know how to eat.”

His cheeks flushed red, not from acting, but as if he genuinely enjoyed the situation.

“I learned it from Raon!”

Sia laughed, saying she learned how to eat food deliciously from Raon.

“Is that so?”

Glenn looked at Raon, maintaining his smile.

“Then how should this be eaten to taste best?”

He pointed to the grilled tomato beside the steak.

“Ah, yes.”

Raon nodded briefly and picked up his fork and knife.

“The tomato itself is large, so it’s tasty even on its own, but it would be better with ham and cheese.”

He placed sweet cheese and salty ham on top of the tomato and handed it to Glenn.

“Let’s see….”

Glenn’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as he put the tomato Raon gave him into his mouth.

“Hmmm!”

His eyes widened in deep admiration, as if it exceeded his expectations.

“You’re right. The combination is quite good.”

Though it was a common way of eating it, Glenn smiled faintly, saying it tasted even better.

Huh?

Wrath blinked as he looked at the smiling Glenn.

What’s gotten into that geezer who only eats Nadine bread? Is the sun going to rise in the west tomorrow?

Even knowing how much he loved his grandchildren, Wrath tilted his head, unable to understand it. Still, Glenn left a slightly better impression on him.

“Father. Please try this too.”

Sylvia, sensing the atmosphere had lightened significantly, placed a peeled shrimp on Glenn's plate.

“Thank you.”

As if he had no intention of refusing anything today, Glenn cheerfully ate the grilled shrimp Sylvia gave him.

“Hehe.”

“Shouldn’t we bring more food?”

“I’ll go!”

The maids who had cooked the food, looking pleased by how satisfied Glenn was, smiled and headed into the kitchen.

“Father!”

Edgar, who had remained quiet until now, suddenly jumped to his feet. He piled various sauces and vegetables onto a steak and held it out to Glenn.

“This is how I eat it! I used two kinds of steak sauce to enhance the sweetness and saltiness, and added fresh vegetables to cut the greasiness! It’s full of savory flavor, if you try it right now, you’ll experience a heavenly taste!”

Edgar shouted breathlessly, claiming that all the food so far would be forgotten.

“Raon said this was the best too! He even said it was the best, dad!”

Edgar clenched his fist, saying it was a taste Raon acknowledged too.

“That never happened….”

Raon let out a sigh as he looked at Edgar, who was making things up.

Is he really an idiot?

Wrath shook his head as he looked at Edgar.

“…….”

Glenn stared at the steak Edgar had made, then deeply furrowed the bridge of his nose.

“Two sauces? Wouldn’t that be overly salty? And there are too many vegetables. You eat it yourself.”

Waving his hand dismissively, as if he had no interest in Edgar’s way of eating it, Glenn roughly pushed the steak back.

“Ah… yes….”

Though he had worked up the courage, Edgar failed to please Glenn and slumped back into his seat, looking heartbroken and drained.

“Grandpa, this!”

“All right!”

Pushing Edgar’s plate aside, Glenn accepted the steak Sia had drenched in two kinds of sauce with her fork and fed it straight into his mouth. It was completely different from what he had just said about it being too salty.

“Sia, you try some too.”

Now using the way he ate, he handed the food to Sia.

Seeing what looked like a grandfather and granddaughter who had built up deep affection, smiles naturally formed on the faces of the people at the table.

‘This is nice.’

Raon slowly nodded, feeling that the annex building’s dining table was brighter than usual.

‘It feels more like a family than before.’

In the past, every meal with Glenn had felt slightly uncomfortable. This time, however, Sia’s presence softened the mood, easing the tension like a warm breeze. Because of that, Raon felt he lacked nothing compared to any other family.

The mood’s improved, so you should start eating too!

Wrath scrunched up his nose.

How long are you going to just watch with all this delicious food in front of you?

He patted Raon on the shoulder, telling him it was time for them to eat too.

‘I can start eating now.’

Just as Raon lifted his fork with a faint smile—

“Father!”

As if he had gathered his courage again, Edgar stood up from his chair.

“Please accept a glass of my wine!”

He took out a bottle of wine and approached Glenn’s side.

“This wine is a masterpiece, grapes grown by the southern sea are aged immediately, pressed into juice, then laid to rest in the deep, salty waters of the ocean! No matter how much money or fame you have, it’s hard to obtain! Raon brought it and has been saving it!”

Saying that he brought it out especially because it was Glenn, Edgar opened the wine with trembling hands.

“…….”

Glenn shook his head as he looked coldly at Edgar holding the bottle.

“Do you think I came here for leisure? I came to teach Raon, and you’re offering alcohol first thing in the morning? Drink it yourself.”

He frowned deeply, looking at Edgar as if he had lost his senses.

“Ah….”

Edgar froze like a statue, still holding the bottle.

“Y-you’re right. I’m sorry….”

As if shocked by being rejected three times by Glenn, he shriveled up in the corner like a deflated balloon.

“Grandpa, this!”

Paying no attention to Edgar shrinking away, Sia held out an abalone she had peeled herself to Glenn.

“Oh my! Our Sia is even good at peeling abalone!”

As if he had never been angry, Glenn even clapped his hands while accepting the abalone Sia offered and eating it.

“Father. You should wet your throat a bit.”

Sylvia took out a bottle of wine from the cupboard and poured it into Glenn’s glass.

“Right. Wine goes perfectly with meat.”

Unlike when he brushed Edgar off, Glenn drained the wine in one go.

"Mmm! It's good!"

Although it was lower quality than the wine Edgar brought, Glenn smiled lightly, as if he had just tasted a heavenly wine.

“Huh!”

Edgar, as if realizing that Glenn disliked only him, hugged the wine bottle and blinked back tears.

‘If it's like this…’

Raon let out a chuckle as he looked at Edgar’s face, darkened by a gloomy shadow, in stark contrast to the dazzlingly bright dining table.

‘Does he just dislike the man because he’s a father?’

That’s part of it, but your father simply can’t read the mood!

Wrath let out a sigh, saying Edgar was utterly hopeless at reading the situation.

‘Can’t read the mood?’

Raon blinked as he looked back at Edgar.

Haa… now he finally understands why you can’t read the mood either!

Wrath narrowed his eyes, looking back and forth between Edgar and Raon.

You’re exactly like your father!

‘What?’

*   *   *

After finishing the breakfast where only one person felt awkward, Raon went out to the lake behind the annex building to loosen up.

Glancing back, he saw Glenn in the garden, talking with Sia while looking at the flowers.

He couldn’t wipe the smile from his face, as if he were enjoying this time immensely. It didn’t look like Glenn Zieghart, the Destructive King of the North, but rather a doting grandfather obsessed with his granddaughter.

'I didn't think grandfather would actually come himself.'

Although Glenn had said he would visit the annex building, I didn't know he would intend to stay here. Honestly, I was surprised and worried.

But after seeing today’s meal, there was no need to worry. Unlike at the main building, Glenn was easing the atmosphere and adapting to the annex building.

‘Except for one person, of course.’

By the time breakfast ended, Edgar’s complexion was yellowed, like someone who hadn’t eaten for days.

‘But how is he planning to train me?’

Raon smacked his lips briefly.

'Will he teach swordsmanship? Or maybe he'll just give me a book and leave me alone like before.'

As Raon was running through various thoughts, wondering what kind of training he would receive, Glenn left Sia and walked over this way.

“No matter when I see it, the annex building is a good place.”

Glenn nodded, seeming to like the annex building more than before.

“I think so too.”

Raon smiled back at Glenn’s smile.

“We’ve eaten breakfast, so it’s time to begin your training.”

As if signaling that training would begin now, Glenn took out a nameless booklet from inside his clothes.

“Yes.”

Just as Raon carefully extended both hands to receive the book—

Fwoooosh!

The nameless book in Glenn’s hand burst into red lightning and burned away into black ash.

“G-Grandfather?”

Raon’s jaw trembled as he watched the ashes that had once been the book scatter into the air.

“Thinking it over, I realized you don’t need something like this.”

Glenn shook his head calmly, as if it were no mistake.

“Because you cannot become me.”

 

 

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