The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1196

 Chapter 1196

 

“You’re going into their den yourself?”

Evelyn grabbed Raon’s shoulder, her eyes wide.

“What do you mean by that?”

She tightened her grip as if demanding a proper explanation.

“I’m going to return to Derus exactly what he did to us.”

Raon shook his head, a cold smile forming on his lips.

“Because we never accepted Derus Robert’s proposal to start a war in one year.”

Saying that he would repay everything the Five Kings had suffered so far, he calmly closed his eyes once, then opened them again.

Hm?

Ras tilted his head, looking puzzled.

Didn’t you accept it? You often said, ‘Let’s see in a year and a month,’ didn’t you—

‘Quiet.’

Raon raised a finger, shutting Wrath up for the first time in a while.

“I don’t know exactly what it is, but….”

Evelyn exhaled an excited breath, her face flushed.

“It’s just cool!”

She nodded vigorously, as if she would believe and follow Raon no matter what he said.

“E-Evelyn. You’ve identified all the barriers set up in the forest, right?”

Pressed back by her heated gaze, Raon leaned his face slightly away as he asked.

“Yeah! I’ve identified all the locations! But there aren’t any gaps, so just like I said earlier, it doesn’t seem possible to deactivate the divine power magic or sneak in.”

Evelyn furrowed her brows deeply, stating that while she knew where the magic was installed, entering or erasing the magic was impossible.

“It’s fine. Even knowing that much is enough.”

Raon waved his hand, saying it didn’t matter if the magic couldn’t be removed.

“Instead, from now on, find out the main locations across the continent where people are being abducted, and what kind of people are taken.”

Since he had found the place where Derus and his forces were likely hiding, it was time to move on to the next step.

To do that, he needed to learn how the abductions were being carried out.

“The places where people are abducted, and what kind of people? Then we don’t need to investigate the forest anymore?”

Evelyn blinked, as if asking whether it was really okay to shift focus that way.

“Yeah. Leave the forest alone for now, and just check occasionally to see if anything changes.”

Raon smiled calmly, as if everything was already planned out.

“With full support from the Black Market and the Shadow Agents, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

He nodded, asking her to focus from now on on identifying the abduction methods.

“Got it!”

Evelyn raised her hand energetically, as if telling him not to worry.

“I’ll investigate so thoroughly that I’ll notice even if Derus Robert starts abducting ants instead of people.”

Telling him to look forward to it, she tightly grabbed Raon’s hand.

“Thank you for always trusting me.”

Raon smiled as he felt the warmth coming from Evelyn’s hand.

‘It would’ve been hard in many ways without Evelyn.’

Though our first encounter had been a bad one, back when she was known as Merlin, she had since become my sharpest and most discreet blade. I conveyed that to her directly, and I was always grateful.

“I don’t always believe in you.”

As if she had read Raon’s thoughts, Evelyn shook her head gently.

“What…?”

Raon narrowed his eyes when he saw that her gaze had sunk deeper than usual.

“I believe in you, Raon, but it’s not that I have zero doubts. I always want to rule out situations where you could be in danger.”

She pressed her lips together, as if recalling moments when Raon had been in danger.

“But this time, something feels different.”

She let out a short breath and slightly curled her lips.

“Feels different….?”

“Confidence, and composure, are blooming from you.”

Evelyn nodded, explaining that it didn’t feel like bravado meant to reassure others, but like composure truly coming from deep within his soul.

“So, I feel at ease.”

She smiled without reservation, saying that right now, she felt like she could do anything for him.

“Then I’ll head straight to the Black Market and the Shadow Agents!”

Saying she needed to start a new investigation, Evelyn stood up immediately.

“Well, you’ve been moving around a lot lately, so this time it might be better if I go to see the Shadow Agents master and the Black Market—”

“No! I’ll do it! I’ve gotten pretty close with both of them now!”

She waved her hand as if absolutely forbidding him from coming and quickly left the room.

“Confidence and composure….”

Raon stared at the door Evelyn had gone through, then raised the palm that had been gripping his sword.

‘Do I really have that?’

I hadn’t really felt confidence or composure growing within myself.

Still, if Evelyn, who observed me more closely than anyone, said that, then it might well be true.

The King of Essence thinks similarly.

Wrath nodded, his brows slightly furrowed.

If it were the old you, you would’ve been consumed with whatever was right in front of you and charged in like a wild boar first. But now, aren’t you gathering information from multiple directions and carefully laying out plans?

He smacked his lips, saying it had been a long time since he’d seen this side of him.

‘Is that so?’

Raon closed his eyes after hearing Wrath’s words.

‘It’s true. My emotions and thoughts are different from before.’

In the past, just hearing the name Derus Robert was enough to make me lose my composure. Instead of seeing the bigger picture, I had only wanted to carry out the small revenge right in front of me.

But now, perhaps because my soul and mind had grown, and my might had increased as well, I was able to act while looking a little farther into the future

It might be a sense of urgency, to kill Derus Robert for good and to protect the people around me.

Should the King of Essence says it’s like looking at your childhood? No, that’s not it. You were too cold back then.

Wrath shook his head slightly.

If he had to put it into words, he’d say you’re starting to possess both composure and humanity. It’s irritating, but truly….

Though he frowned as if reluctant to say it, he continued.

Perhaps the King of Essence should call you a completed form, as both a warrior and a leader.

Wrath nodded heavily, saying Raon had finally gained the qualifications of a ruler who stands above others.

‘A completed form….’

Raon let out a soft chuckle as he glanced sideways at Wrath.

‘That’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me, isn’t it?’

Wrath was a king of Devildom who never lied. Knowing those words carried his true feelings made intense emotions well up in Raon’s chest.

Hmph! He just didn’t want to tell a lie! You still have a long way to go!

Wrath snorted, telling him not to get cocky.

‘Of course. Me, and you too….’

Raon nodded as he felt the nine rings spinning slightly slower than usual.

‘This is just the beginning.’

Certain that what lay ahead would be the most exciting time yet, he clenched his fist against his chest.

Th-This is just the beginning?

Wrath shook his head in shock.

You’ve sucked up the King of Essence’s power like a madman up to now, and you say this is just the beginning! He just wants to end it already!

He screamed that his main body was practically about to be reduced to bones, so Raon should stop.

‘Uh….’

Raon blinked blankly as he watched Wrath suddenly wailing.

‘This… wasn’t the mood we were in, was it?’

Is this right?

*   *   *

“Hm-hmm.”

Humming to herself, Evelyn entered a small tea shop standing in the bustling streets of Zieghart.

Despite its shabby exterior that looked like it would never attract customers, the inside was spotless, without a speck of dust. The lighting was neither too bright nor too dark, creating a calm atmosphere, and a scent that relaxed the mind wafted through the air.

Evelyn sat down in her familiar manner at the single table in the shop and crossed her legs. She lightly swung her snow-white legs, starkly contrasting with her colorless robe, as she waited for the shop’s owner.

Tap.

Before Evelyn could finish counting to ten in her head, the curtain at the back of the shop parted, and a beautiful woman with an eyepatch over one eye sat across from her, holding a jade-colored teapot and teacups.

“So it’s Lady Evelyn again?”

Denning Rose, the manager of Zieghart branch of the Black Market, bowed with a faint smile.

“It seems Sir Raon is busy?”

She poured green tea into Evelyn’s cup and smiled softly.

“Not really. He has plenty of free time, actually. He just leaves everything to me.”

Evelyn returned a smile no less bright than Denning Rose’s and lifted the steaming teacup.

“It’s troublesome how much he trusts me. It’s tiring.”

She sipped her tea, saying that Raon’s trust felt a little heavy.

“Oh my. Is that so? From what I know, he’s currently training under the head of house, staying only in the annex building, and barely even going to the fifth training ground, only at night.”

Denning Rose shrugged slightly, as if she knew all of Raon’s movements.

“Heh, is that so? Still, he has some breathing room now and then.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes as if surprised, letting the green tea she had in her mouth spill slightly past her lips.

“Anyway, he entrusted this matter to me as well.”

She shook her head, emphasizing that Raon trusted her.

“I see.”

Denning Rose nodded lightly, as if it were only natural, but she couldn’t hide the faint crease forming at the corner of her eyes.

“So, do you have any new instructions?”

“Yes. He asked us to stop focusing on that forest and instead gather information on the people being abducted and who they are….”

Evelyn relayed what Raon had asked of her to Denning Rose.

“Ah, so that’s the direction he’s taking. It might be a bit dangerous, but that does seem like the best approach.”

Denning Rose gave a short nod, as if she had instantly grasped Raon’s intent.

“Understood. I’ll mobilize all the agents who can move.”

She calmly set down her teacup, as if to say there was no need to worry.

“However, I’ll bring this information to Sir Raon myself.”

“Hmm? No. Raon is busy, and you’re busy too. I’ll take it to him.”

Evelyn waved her hand, saying there was no need.

“I’m not busy, and you said Sir Raon isn’t busy either, so it’s only right that I go in person. It’s not that far.”

Denning Rose smiled brightly, saying she wanted to speak with Raon directly.

“Ahahaha. I see. Fine.”

Evelyn waved her hand as if to say, “Do as you like.” She drained the tea in her cup in one go and rose from her chair.

“Next time, prepare something a bit more expensive.”

“But that is top-grade tea.”

Denning Rose tilted her head, saying it was a type of tea that was hard to obtain even across the continent.

“I was royalty, and a royal palace mage. Maybe that’s why it tastes a bit cheap to me.”

Leaving behind the remark that even the finest tea couldn’t satisfy her palate, Evelyn stepped out of the tea shop.

“Is it because she grew up outside? She’s definitely different from those two.”

She frowned slightly as she recalled the two women of the Light Wind Palace, whose looks rivaled her own, but whose dispositions were clearly different.

“Really, he goes around helping everyone and charming everyone, so there isn’t a single person who doesn’t like him!”

Evelyn let out a short sigh, saying she would be tired in the future because of Raon’s charm.

“But in the end, I’ll be the one who wins.”

Smiling faintly, she headed to the Shadow Agents.

“Oh! You’re here! What did Sir Raon say?”

Chad, the master of the Shadow Agents, greeted Evelyn breathlessly, as though she were bringing news from someone he loved.”

“Hah….”

Evelyn stared at Chad’s eyes, which clearly showed he ‘loved’ Raon, and let her mouth fall open.

‘Not just women….’

He charms men too?

*   *   *

“Ghk!”

Raon let out a harsh groan and pitched forward. Above his fallen head, Glenn’s twig, still as sturdy as ever, swayed gently.

“That wasn’t bad.”

Glenn turned his back after uttering what sounded like praise for the first time.

“It seems you’re getting closer to the correct answer. Continue to devote yourself as you are.”

Leaving those words with a faint smile, he returned to the annex building.

“Ghh….”

Watching Glenn’s retreating back, Raon slowly pushed himself up.

‘So this is the correct answer?’

What Glenn had said meant that Raon was now moving along the correct path.

‘The movement of the Ring of Fire has definitely slowed, too.’

Just as I had felt after finishing my conversation with Wrath, the movement of the Ring of Fire felt more refined than before.

In fact, during the sparring just moments ago, I had completed three-quarters of the tenth ring.

If I were given just a bit more time, it felt like I could complete the tenth ring and uncover the secret hidden within Glenn’s twig.

‘I should keep going like this.’

As Raon nodded, resolving to continue with his current plan, it happened.

Step.

An unfamiliar set of footsteps entered the annex building garden. The owner of those small, delicate steps was Denning Rose, wearing a black rose-shaped eyepatch.

“It’s been a while.”

She smiled calmly, saying it had been too long since they last met.

“You had an interesting idea.”

As if she knew all of his plans, Denning Rose let a cold heat flare in her one visible eye.

“I brought you information on how to enter the angels’s embrace, Sir Raon.”

 

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