The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1298

 Chapter 1298

 

The number of people gathering to meet Dorian continued to grow.

It was only natural. Rumors of his near-omniscience had spread beyond the central and southern regions of the continent and reached distant lands.

There was, however, something far less expected.

Nobles.

Nobles from various kingdoms, people who believed themselves fundamentally different from ordinary folk, were standing in line alongside commoners.

Normally, nobles hated even exchanging words with commoners, yet here they waited their turn with proper manners, as if they had shed their titles and returned to being nothing more than ordinary people.

'And all of this...'

Raon narrowed his eyes to slits as he looked at Count Asak, who had gradually advanced through the line and was now nearly at Dorian's position.

'It's all thanks to Count Asak.'

Count Asak was a noble whose reputation and achievements far exceeded Raon's expectations.

Because he had been willing to stand in line first, the nobles who arrived afterward were forced to follow suit. Shocked to see someone of his stature waiting alongside commoners, they naturally accepted the unwritten rule and joined the queue themselves.

'And he helped the rumors spread faster too.'

Even if the Black Market was actively spreading stories about Sage Doraen, they had needed to be careful. Spread the rumors too aggressively, and people would grow suspicious.

But once Count Asak joined the line, they could freely use his name as proof and spread stories about the sage far more aggressively. 

'Fortunately, the plan was moving faster than expected.' 

In reality, Dorian simply used his Mind’s Eye to get a rough grasp of people's circumstances and point them toward a solution. The real burden fell on Raon, the Light Wind Palace, Federick, and the Black Market, who had to work behind the scenes to turn those solutions into reality. The constant effort was taking a heavy toll on both their bodies and minds, but thanks to Count Asak, the operation now seemed likely to progress at more than twice the expected pace.

The King of Essence simply couldn't understand him. 

Wrath frowned in irritation.

No matter how the King of Essence looks at it, he's a noble through and through, completely wrapped up in his own sense of status and authority. So why is he acting like that?

Even now, Wrath sounded utterly baffled by Count Asak.

‘You're right.’

Raon let out a faint chuckle and nodded.

‘He is the sort of man who places great importance on status and authority, but he isn't so arrogant that he refuses to hear what others have to say.'

Judging from the way Asak had behaved at first, Wrath's assessment wasn't entirely wrong. He was every bit the stereotypical nobleman, full of pride in his position and authority.

Unlike many nobles, however, that arrogance hadn't completely clouded his judgment. The fact that he had listened to my advice and changed his behavior afterward proved as much. Perhaps he had simply been raised with the wrong values. Or perhaps he had never learned how ordinary people were meant to live.

'Which is why...'

Raon raised his hand and stroked his chin.

'I think I know what's been troubling Count Asak.'

Judging by Asak's actions and the brief conversation they'd had, Raon thought he understood what was weighing on the count's mind.

Really?

Wrath's eyes widened.

What is it? What does that ridiculous mustache actually want?

'Well—'

Just as Raon was about to answer—

"Out of the way!"

A blond nobleman riding a white horse forced his way through the crowd.

"Bring this so-called sage before me at once!"

With his chin raised arrogantly, he barked orders at the knights behind him.

Yet not a single person moved.

No one stepped aside.

No one even bothered to look at him.

The line remained exactly as it was.

"W-What is wrong with you people?! Move them aside!"

Flustered, the noble waved his hands frantically at his knights.

"Uh..."

"This is..."

The knights were just as taken aback, but a direct order was a direct order. Reluctantly, they drew their swords and stepped forward.

"That's enough."

Just as the knights were about to strike the motionless crowd, Count Asak, the mustachioed noble standing at the front of the line, finally stepped forward.

"There are no nobles and commoners here."

Asak looked up at the noble on horseback and frowned.

"I am Asak. If you have a complaint, take it up with me."

He nodded calmly, making it clear that he would accept any protest, or any challenge.

Though he stood below the mounted noble, somehow it felt as though he were the one looking down from above.

"C-Count Asak...?"

The blond noble's eyes widened in disbelief, stunned to find Count Asak quietly waiting in line.

"My apologies!"

He immediately bowed his head and jumped down from his horse.

"M-My name is Laita, and—"

"As I said, status means nothing here. Join the line."

After hearing only the man's name, Asak returned to his place.

'That's it.'

Raon watched him with a faint smile.

That's what?

Wrath frowned, still completely lost despite having witnessed the scene himself.

'That's exactly what's been bothering Count Asak.'

And what the hell is it?!

Wrath ground his teeth in frustration, practically begging him to stop being mysterious and explain it.

‘Explaining it would be simple, but before that...’

Raon turned toward him.

‘You still owe me that gift.’

He held out his hand with a grin.

‘You did lose the wager, remember?’

Grrrgh...

Wrath's eyes darted around shiftily, he clearly didn't want to hand it over.

There truly isn't a single thing about you that the King of Essence likes!

Muttering under his breath, he reached up and grabbed Raon’s shoulder.

Whoooosh!

Raon felt something icy flow from Wrath, pass through his body, and sink directly into his soul.

'What's this?'

Blinking, he touched his shoulder.

'It doesn't feel like a trait.'

Normally, a system message would appear immediately if it were a trait, but nothing happened.

That's because it hasn't awakened yet!

Wrath snorted.

The power the King of Essence has bestowed upon you will be of great help when you meet Sariel!

He shook his head firmly, making it clear he wasn't joking.

'Well, if you say so.'

Wrath wasn't the sort to lie about something like this.

So Raon decided to take him at his word.

Then stop dragging it out and tell me already!

Wrath smacked his lips impatiently.

What does that mustached noble want? 

'See for yourself.'

Raon shrugged and pointed toward Dorian.

Before they knew it, enough time had passed for Count Asak's turn to arrive.

Y-You little bastard!

Wrath's face reddened with genuine irritation.

'Don't be so mad. Let's go.'

Raon chuckled and headed toward Dorian.

Grrrr...

Furious as he was, Wrath couldn't suppress his curiosity. Grinding his teeth, he followed along.

"Hoo..."

Count Asak let out a deep breath before stepping in front of Dorian.

"I..."

“How surprising. I never expected a noble to wrestle with something like this.”

Dorian nodded before Asak could even finish speaking.

"Hm!"

Asak swallowed hard, visibly taken aback.

“Most nobles concern themselves with what title they'll inherit, how much wealth they'll receive, or which powerful connections they'll gain. Rarely do they concern themselves with who they truly are. Yet you're different.”

A faint smile touched Dorian's lips.

“You've been afraid of being called a strange man, so you've hidden it from others. But all this time, you've been asking yourself who you are and what you're capable of.”

He slowly lowered his gaze.

“It seems you wish to live not as Count Asak, but as Asak the man.”

He had seen straight through the conflict that had been weighing on Asak's heart.

“Exactly!”

Asak nodded heavily, looking like a man who had finally found someone who truly understood him.

“Then live the way you wish.”

Dorian gently nodded.

“There is no single right way to live.”

“Do not remain merely Count Asak. Forge the path of Asak the man, and at a time like this, a war might not be such a bad thing for you right now.”

Dorian opened his eyes again and suggested that joining the war might be a good way for Asak to carve out a name for himself and prove his own worth.

“War...”

At the mention of war, Count Asak bit his lip nervously, yet a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“I understand! Thank you!”

He bowed deeply to Dorian, looking as though all his worries had finally been put to rest.

‘That’s it.’

Raon smiled and nodded.

‘I'd had a feeling from the beginning that he wanted to be more than just Count Asak.’

From the moment Count Asak first appeared, he had introduced himself simply as Asak rather than flaunting his title.

At first, Raon had only found it unusual. Now he understood. More than the title he'd inherited, Asak wanted to make a name for himself.

So that’s it…

Wrath let out a long breath, finally understanding.

But, that brat has grown a lot.

He narrowed his eyes while looking at Dorian.

To think he'd even tell him to join the war…

‘Ah, that part was my idea.’

Raon grinned and waved a hand.

‘I thought Count Asak could be useful to the Five Kings.’

A man like Asak would be a valuable asset in the coming war against Eden, so Raon had instructed Dorian to steer him toward the war.

Huh...?

Wrath blinked blankly.

You insane bastard! You're the real villain here!

*   *   *

“Have you heard the news?”

A handsome man with black hair and crimson eyes, as striking as a blood-red moon hanging in the night sky, curled his lips into a gentle smile.

“They say a sage, some even call him a living god, has appeared in the Kingdom of Winten.”

Despite being alone in the room, he spoke politely as though addressing someone. 

“They say he listens to the people's concerns and readily offers solutions. Fascinating, isn't it?” 

It was Sariel.

The archangel known as Death and Dominion let out a soft chuckle that contrasted sharply with his elegant appearance.

“I don't understand why he would associate with those worthless mud dolls. All he'll gain from them is filth and ugliness.”

As he spoke the name of Sage Doraen, the corner of his mouth twisted slightly.

“Then again...”

Sariel lowered his foot and lightly kicked the chair beneath him, snorting in disdain.

“Even if they're nobles. No, even royalty. As long as they're human, they're still insect. Wouldn't you agree?”

He kicked the chair again, as if demanding an answer.

“Oooink...”

A pig-like whimper echoed from somewhere in the room.

“Ordinarily, a sage who tends a herd of swine wouldn't be worth my attention, but...”

Sariel narrowed his eyes while gazing out the wide-open window.

“I don't like the fact that he's being called a god.”

His fingers tightened.

“There are many things I can tolerate, but hearing a human referred to as a god is not one of them.”

“Oooooooink!”

As Sariel's presence suddenly grew heavy, a louder squeal rang through the room.

“Still, the matter is too trivial for me to deal with personally. This time, I believe you should handle it.”

Sariel smiled faintly and looked down at the chair he was sitting on.

No, it wasn't a chair.

The King of the Kingdom of Sarion, wearing a golden crown, was crouched on all fours like a pig, supporting Sariel's weight.

Nor was the king alone.

Members of the royal family and high-ranking nobles were gathered around the room in the same beastlike posture, mouths clamped shut as they stared toward Sariel.

“Go find the Sage and cut off his head. Do you understand?”

At Sariel's eerie yet alluring smile, the king nodded as if entranced.

“Oooink!”

 

 

 

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