The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1232

 Chapter 1232

 

The next day.

Before the sun had even risen, Raon stepped outside and headed for the main building.

It was still early enough that he’d expected the place to be nearly empty, but to his surprise, a steady stream of people was already making their way into the lord’s manor.

‘Every single one of them...’

Raon narrowed his eyes slightly as he took in the faces of those entering.

“They’re executives.”

Everyone heading into the lord’s manor was an executive of Zieghart. It seemed grandfather had summoned all of them to the audience chamber.

‘Well, that makes sense.’

Zieghart was one of the strongest factions on the continent. With the current head of house entering seclusion, it was only proper to announce who would be steering the ship in his absence.

‘And besides…’

Raon briefly smacked his lips as he watched the executives bow their heads to him.

‘This would also turn it into a test.’

The executives would feel the difference between Karoon’s leadership and mine firsthand. They would evaluate us, and grandfather likely intended to use those scores to help select his successor.

Hm…

Wrath smacked his lips as well.

The King of Essence glimpsed the qualities of a king in you. He thought it wouldn't be bad for you to sit on a throne here before we depart for Devildom. However...

He narrowed his eyes thinly.

He used to believe that big shitty eyes should never be king. A soul soaked in arrogance, greed, and envy would have destroyed this house in less than ten years. That’s what he thought. But now, his view has changed.

Wrath shook his head sharply, as if rejecting his former opinion outright.

He’s begun to show the qualities of a king as well. He regrets his trashy past and has chosen to live differently. At this rate, he might become a king just as fine as you.

He flicked his fingers casually, as if to say it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Karoon to take over as head of Zieghart in Raon’s place.

You’re far superior in might, but might alone isn’t everything a head of house needs.

‘That’s true.’

Raon chuckled softly and nodded.

‘There’s no rule saying the head of house has to be the strongest.’

Zieghart, unexpectedly, had no strict tradition that the strongest swordsman must become head of the house.

Even among the past heads who had ascended the throne, there were those who had never stood at the absolute peak in terms of might.

At present, the gap between my might and Karoon’s was significant, but while that might earn me extra points, it didn’t feel like a decisive factor.

You don’t seem particularly attached to the position.

Wrath squinted at him.

Do you not want it?

‘No, it’s not that.’

Raon shook his head calmly.

‘In the past, I wanted to become head of house no matter what, to protect the people of the annex building and the Light Wind Palace. But now, I don’t think that’s necessary anymore.’

If the old Karoon had become head of house, the annex building itself would have been in danger. But the current Karoon was different.

He treated everyone fairly, regardless of who they were. Whether Karoon or I became head of house no longer felt like it mattered much.

‘If anything, becoming head of house would cut deeply into my training time. Maybe it’s better not to take the position at all.’

A head of house had to receive reports on even trivial matters and constantly stay involved. Naturally, that meant less time to train.

As long as Karoon handled the role well, I saw no reason to insist on taking it myself.

Huh? Isn’t the war basically over anyway?

Wrath frowned slightly.

You’ve basically already won this war. And you’re still talking about training? That level of obsession is a disease.

He shook his chin dismissively, telling Raon to stop obsessing over training and just sit on the throne and enjoy himself.

‘You never know.’

Raon slowly lifted his head. Against the black dawn sky, a faint white glow was beginning to spread, and it reminded him of the memories the first head of Zieghart had shown him.

‘The war with Eden might not truly be the end.’

Vowing never to forget that possibility, Raon tightened his grip on Heavenly Drive and stepped into the lord’s manor, where golden light was beginning to bloom.

*   *   *

“Haa…”

Raon stopped in front of the audience chamber and took a moment to steady his breathing.

‘This is overwhelming.’

From inside the audience chamber, a lofty, razor-edged energy wave surged outward, like the swordplay of a seasoned master given form.

It was a dawn summons, and preparations for war were still underway. More executives than ever had gathered inside, each one releasing a blade-sharp presence. The pressure was so intense that the room itself felt like a weapon waiting to be swung.

‘So, if I became head of house, would all of them become my hands and feet?’

He’d told Wrath he wasn’t interested, but standing before so many swordsmen made him feel the weight of it all, and, strangely, a quiet sense of anticipation

‘I really am fickle.’

Raon let out a small laugh and entered the chamber. The executives lined up below the platform reacted the moment they saw him, some sharply inhaled, some avoided his gaze, others stared far too intently.

Yet the emotion in their eyes was the same.

Awe.

They looked at him not as a fellow human, but as someone who had ascended to a different realm, much like Glenn.

‘Interesting.’

Raon himself hadn’t changed at all, yet people’s attitudes toward him shifted every time, depending on his achievements and might. Wondering how they would react if he truly became head of house, he walked toward the pillars where the palace masters stood.

“Hey, nephew! Did you get some good rest?”

Balder waved cheerfully, flashing a broad grin.

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

Raon bowed, thanking him for coming all the way to the annex building.

“Good to hear! Youth really does heal fast. But…”

Balder lowered his eyebrows slightly and leaned in.

“What about my martial art?”

By now, it had clearly become a habit, he brought it up the moment he saw Raon

Aaaaagh!

Wrath screamed.

That again?! He’s sick of hearing it! Just make it already! It’s not even hard for you! These days, that lump of meat is starting to look pitiful!

‘It is hard.’

Raon shook his head calmly.

‘It’s not something simple.’

Balder was currently at peak Grandmaster level. Raon was preparing a martial art that could open the path to Transcendence for him, so he needed a little more time to research.

“It’ll be finished soon. You won’t regret waiting.”

He gestured lightly, asking Balder to be patient just a bit longer.

“R-really?! All right! I’ll wait as long as it takes!”

At the promise that he wouldn’t regret it, Balder grew visibly excited, snorting as he returned to his place.

“We meet again.”

Standing before the pillar, Raon bowed to Karoon.

“Hmm.”

Karoon said nothing, simply stroking his chin once before turning his gaze forward again.

“Um—”

Raon was just about to speak to him when—

Kooooong!

The doors at the far end of the audience chamber swung open, and Glenn entered, followed by Sheryl and Roenn.

The three ascended the platform wearing more ornate clothing than usual. Their dark attire contrasted with the light filtering in through the windows, lending them an even heavier presence.

“We greet the head of house.”

“We greet the head of house!”

Starting with Karoon, every executive in the audience chamber knelt and bowed their heads toward Glenn.

“Hmm.”

Glenn silently examined each of them with calm eyes, then nodded.

“You may all rise.”

At his low voice, the executives sensed that today was different from usual and raised their heads, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.

“Thank you for gathering here despite the early hour.”

Glenn closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.

“Derus Robert and his faction have fallen. This should be a time for celebration. But we still have an enemy.”

He went straight to the point, his gaze turning cold.

“Eden remains, our long-standing foe. And the one called the Heavenly Demon, said to stand at the pinnacle of the continent, is still alive.”

After what had happened the day before, Glenn acknowledged the Heavenly Demon without hesitation as the continent’s peak.

“I intend to face the Heavenly Demon in a one-on-one duel to the death.”

As he relayed the conversation he’d had with the Heavenly Demon just yesterday, his chin lowering heavily.

A… a one-on-one duel to the death…?

“We have the advantage. Is that really necessary?”

“No, this is the right call. If we leave the Heavenly Demon alone, the damage will be beyond imagination!”

“True. The only one who can stop the Heavenly Demon is the head of house!”

The executives murmured among themselves, nodding in agreement with Glenn’s decision.

“While exchanging words with the Heavenly Demon, I became keenly aware of my own shortcomings,” Glenn said.

“To erase those flaws, I intend to enter seclusion before facing him.”

Lowering his red gaze, Glenn revealed the true reason he had summoned them all.

“C-closed-door cultivation?”

“S-Seclusion?”

“But the war isn’t even over yet—!”

“And shortcomings? What do you mean by that, head of house!”

Concern rippled through the audience chamber as the executives immediately raised their voices, clearly worried about what Zieghart would become without Glenn.

“I will set aside the grand titles of head of house Zieghart, Destructive King of the North, Sword God, and Lightning God,” Glenn said calmly. “For a short while, I wish to return to being nothing more than a swordsman, Glenn Zieghart. I ask for your understanding. And…”

Glenn calmly shifted his gaze, looking in turn at Karoon and Raon, who stood before the pillars.

“There are those to whom I can entrust the house during my absence, so do not worry.”

At his gesture, Karoon stepped forward without a flicker of emotion.

Step.

As if he had lived for nothing but this moment, Karoon ascended the platform one step at a time, his stride solemn and deliberate.

“First, the Central Martial Palace master will oversee the house’s operations.”

Glenn inclined his head toward him, entrusting him with the role.

“I will carry out the task flawlessly, without a single shortcoming.”

Standing at the edge of the platform, Karoon bowed under Glenn’s gaze. His words were confident, yet the redness creeping up his ears and the faint tremor at his jaw betrayed just how tense, and exhilarated, he truly was.

“The Central Martial Palace?”

“If it’s Sir Karoon, we can trust him!”

“Right. He made the Central Martial Palace the best, after all!”

“If we give him a bit of support, things should run smoothly.”

The executives chanted Karoon’s name, trusting in his perfectionist nature.

“While the Central Martial Palace master is entrusted with the house, I will enter seclusion together with the Light Wind Palace master. Later, when the Light Wind Palace master emerges from seclusion first, he will switch roles with the Central Martial Palace Master as acting head of house.”

Glenn nodded, making it clear that Raon, too, would serve as acting head of house.

“The Light Wind Palace master as well?”

“Well, his contributions in this war were enormous.”

“Honestly, at this point, the Light Wind Palace Master fits the role of head of house even better.”

“I’ve heard his might is abnormal even by Transcendence standards.”

“I’m looking forward to both of them.”

The executives wore faint smiles, their expectations for Raon seemingly even greater than those for Karoon.

“That concludes everything I had to say today. You may return and focus on your duties.”

With a wave of his hand, Glenn dismissed them.

“So, how do you think this will turn out?”

“Hard to say. Right now, the Light Wind Palace master seems to have the edge.”

“But running a house isn’t the same as wielding a sword.”

“True. And the Light Wind Palace master hasn’t led an organization for very long.”

The executives left the audience chamber in small groups, chatting animatedly about Karoon and Raon, the two men now standing closest to the head of house’s seat.

“I leave it in your hands, then.”

Glenn gave a short nod, as if the handover of authority to Karoon were already complete.

“Yes.”

As if to say, Trust me, Karoon raised his sword and offered Glenn a formal salute.

“There’s no need to be overly tense. Just do what you’ve always done, and there won’t be any problems.”

Leaving those words behind, Glenn stepped down from the platform.

“……”

Karoon still seemed unable to believe that he had stood upon the platform at all, swallowing dryly as he ran a hand over the throne.

‘Looks good on him.’

Raon smiled faintly as he watched Karoon stare at the throne for a long moment. Even from that alone, it was clear how long and deeply he had yearned for the position.

“Come. Let’s go.”

Glenn beckoned lightly to Raon.

“We don’t have much time.”

He told Raon they would begin seclusion immediately.

“Understood.”

Raon nodded and turned to leave the audience chamber, when—

“Wait. Not that way.”

Glenn caught his shoulder and turned him around.

“The place where we’ll enter seclusion is beneath this ground.”

Pointing down, he flashed a chilling smile.

“You said you’d help with my seclusion. You are prepared to die swinging your sword, aren’t you?”

 

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