The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman

“Would you please guide us to where the Thespian Emperor and the Evil Sword Marquis are?”

Raon said sightseeing could wait and looked at Mekane with eyes that emanated a cold chill.

“Umm…”

Mekane felt the cool Aura not just from Raon, but from all the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen emerging from the portal, and swallowed dryly.

“Umm, I understand. We will depart as soon as everyone from the Light Wind Palace has come out.”

He said he would guide them to the Thespian Emperor as soon as the swordsmen were out and bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

Raon let out a small sound of admiration as he watched Mekane hide his flustered state and reveal a calm gaze.

‘The Thespian Emperor’s good at picking people, just as I thought before.’

Despite the fact that they were creating a blatantly cold atmosphere, though not one of hostility, the man named Mekane didn’t panic and showed his composure. He was no ordinary man.

“Everyone has arrived.”

Burren personally counted the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen before approaching Raon to report.

“Now that everyone is here, let’s get going.”

Raon nodded at Mekane, who was waiting by the gate.

“Then I will open the door.”

Mekane let out a deep breath in the face of the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen’s frosty presence and opened the Magic Tower’s door.

Whoooosh!

Stylish houses and buildings could be seen under the brilliantly pouring sunlight.

Although morning had not yet fully passed, people were moving about busily, each following their own schedule.

“This way, please.”

Mekane, seemingly sensing the murderous atmosphere, didn’t bother explaining about Varene and immediately started walking toward the Thespian Emperor’s castle.

“Let’s go.”

Raon gestured for the Light Wind to follow and trailed after Mekane.

‘A lot has changed, even at a glance.’

More than half of Varene had collapsed during the previous attack by the Four Demons.

Perhaps because most of the buildings had been newly constructed, the walls and roads were neatly paved.

“As the Lord of Light Wind Palace may know…”

Mekane, as if noticing his gaze, slowly began to speak.

“Due to the attack by the Black Night Sword God and the other Four Demons, not only Varene’s walls but the entire city was destroyed.”

He let out a heavy sigh, saying it had been a desperate situation.

“After that attack, the residents were gripped by fear and tried to flee the city. But after seeing the Thespian Emperor release her funds and personally take action to lead the restoration work, not a single person left this land.”

Mekane smiled gently, adding that the relationship between the Thespian Emperor and the residents had grown even stronger since then.

“It certainly looks better than the last time I was here.”

Raon nodded. Just as Mekane said, perhaps because they had overcome such hardship, the city seemed to flow with vitality and affection.

“It does. Before, the city itself was stylish, but it didn’t feel lived in. Now, it’s full of life.”

Martha smacked her lips as if she knew what he meant.

“Mhm. The air is warm…”

Runaan also blinked her dazed eyes, saying it felt good.

“It feels like the inside has changed more than the outside. There’s a sense of stickiness to it.”

Burren wore a gentle smile as he looked at the bustling market.

“I’m glad you see it that way.”

Mekane, pleased by the praise for Varene’s atmosphere, climbed the hill with a slightly lighter step.

“Actually, the castle where the Thespian Emperor resides was also newly built. It’s over there.”

He said that since the castle had collapsed, a new building had been erected, and pointed to a mansion built in the center of the city.

“It’s not as big as I thought?”

Martha tilted her head as she looked at the Thespian Emperor’s castle, which was only slightly larger than an annex.

“You’re right. The building I saw before seemed bigger than even the Head of House’s palace.”

Burren scratched his chin, having had a similar thought.

“When we rebuilt the city, we prioritized the residents’ homes and livelihoods, so we lacked the manpower and funds. This was the best we could do.”

Mekane smiled bitterly, explaining that her castle had become smaller because the Thespian Emperor had taken care of her people first.

“The Thespian Emperor didn’t seem like that kind of person… Hup!”

Krein ran his mouth before catching Mekane’s gaze and snapping his mouth shut.

“It might seem that way.”

Rather than getting angry, Mekane smiled lightly as if to say it was understandable.

“Krein…”

“Don’t run your mouth so carelessly. This isn’t Zieghart.”

Burren and Martha glared at Krein with icy eyes.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Krein, feeling ashamed, bowed his head deeply to Mekane.

“It’s alright. People have various perspectives.”

Mekane waved his hand, telling him not to worry about it.

‘To be honest…’

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Thespian Emperor’s residence, which looked more like a mansion than a castle.

‘Krein isn’t wrong.’

The Thespian Emperor he had seen and felt for himself was a highly intelligent opportunist.

To hear that such a person had built a smaller home out of consideration for her people first only made him think that she was more concerned with public perception and rumors than with genuine care.

– “Even if she did it because of what others would see and say, isn’t it a good thing in the end?”

Wrath rolled his blue eyes as if finding it strange.

‘You’re right. It is a good thing.’

Just as he said, no matter how it came to be, it was a good thing for the residents, so he smiled faintly and nodded.

“Then I’ll be back in a moment.”

Mekane asked them to wait a little and entered the Thespian Emperor’s mansion.

‘Is the Thespian Emperor on the second floor?’

From inside the mansion, he could feel a colossal level of soul, one that seemed more than enough to blanket the entire city. Perhaps because he himself had grown, the Thespian Emperor’s power felt strong enough to shake his very soul.

‘This much without even revealing her presence?’

She’s qualified to stand as the representative of the Five Divine Orders.

Raon gave a thin smile and looked back at the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen.

“Not everyone will be able to enter the conference hall, so the Iron Division Leader will remain and manage the swordsmen.”

He entrusted the swordsmen to Trevin, who had the most experience leading subordinates.

“Understood.”

Trevin smiled refreshingly as if to say, ‘trust me,’ and thumped his chest with his fist.

“The Light Wind swordsmen will remember what yiu said and maintain the posture befitting a Zieghart swordsman.”

No sooner had he finished his words about maintaining their posture than the presence of the swordsmen, who had relaxed in Varene’s warm atmosphere, subsided into an even colder state than before.

“Understood!”

The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen nodded as if to say they wouldn’t disappoint and thumped their chests with their fists, just like Trevin.

“We must attend to the Lord, so we must be even more proper in our conduct.”

Burren narrowed his eyes at Martha and Runaan, telling them to please be careful.

“He’s telling you to be careful.”

Martha jutted her chin at Runaan.

“Not me, it’s the Rakshasa…”

Runaan shook her head, saying the arrow had missed its mark.

“It’s you!”

“It’s the Rakshasa…”

The two of them poked each other’s cheeks and ground their teeth.

“It’s both of you!”

Burren shouted for them to stop and separated Martha and Runaan.

“Hmph!”

Martha snorted and closed her eyes. However, she didn’t stay angry and began to cultivate her Aura right there on the spot.

‘She really looks like she’s about to go beat up the White Blood Lord herself.’

Just as Raon was smiling softly at Martha, who was trying to train even in her spare moments…

Thud.

Mekane came out of the mansion with a single wrinkle creasing his forehead.

“Is something wrong?”

Raon lowered his eyebrows as he looked at Mekane, who had come out alone.

“The originally promised time was noon, so the Evil Sword Marquis has not yet arrived. The Thespian Emperor is in the middle of her duties, but she said she would meet with you immediately if you wish.”

Mekane bowed his head as if asking what he would do.

“For now, it might be better to see the Thespian Emperor first…”

“No. It would be better to see them both together.”

Raon shook his head, saying he would see them together in the conference hall.

‘Whether this is a ploy or not, there’s no need to meet her first and give her time to think.’

The Thespian Emperor would be able to read the atmosphere just by looking at him. It seemed better to see both of them at once to settle things right away.

“I apologize.”

“There’s no reason for you to be sorry, Mekane. If anything, it’s we who arrived early.”

“Th-then I will guide you to the reception room for now.”

Mekane entered a small building to the right, not the mansion. Perhaps because it was a waiting area for guests, it looked even more splendid than the mansion.

“I will bring some tea.”

He said he would be right back and rushed outside.

‘There’s a lot of time until noon.’

The portal preparations and travel had gone much more smoothly than expected, leaving him with a lot of extra time.

‘Should I read a book in the meantime?’

He opened his subspace pocket and took out an old booklet. It was the book Glenn had personally come to the annex to give him.

He hadn’t had time to read it until now, having been focused on Aura cultivation and recovering from his injuries, but it didn’t seem like a bad idea to look at it now.

‘What kind of martial arts book is this… Hmm?’

This isn’t a martial arts book.

[Cultivating the soul is like raising a young tree. If cultivated with a healthy spirit, its roots will grow deep and thick, and it will not waver. But if raised with a sick spirit, its roots will spread shallowly and narrowly, and it will break in even a small storm.]

Skimming through the contents of the book, he saw that it wasn’t a martial arts manual, but a description of how to control one’s mind and spirit.

[The soul is water contained within a vessel. Normally, it is calm and still, but when an external shock is applied, it churns as if it will escape the vessel. Only by always being able to handle one’s soul with serenity can one reach a higher world.]

Raon read the scripture and turned to the last page.

[A year soon becomes ten, ten years gather to form a hundred, and a hundred years flow to become a thousand. However, ten thousand years cannot be reached in such a way. It is a time and a realm that cannot be handled by the human mind. It can only be manifested through the mind’s eye and the soul.]

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the last page.

‘This is…’

Something is different.

Unlike the passages he had read so far, this didn’t seem to be only about the soul.

‘What is it…’

It feels like I can understand it, but I can’t.

‘I should keep reading.’

Raon, forgetting even that Mekane had placed tea on the table, became deeply engrossed in the last page of the book.

===

Knock, knock.

Just as Raon had read the contents of the last page countless times and seared them into his mind, the door opened with a knock.

“The Evil Sword Marquis has arrived. Shall we go now?”

Mekane bowed his head, saying the meeting preparations were complete.

“Yes. Let’s go right away.”

Raon put the book into his subspace pocket and rose to his feet.

“The conference hall is behind the mansion. This way, please.”

He followed Mekane, who cautiously began to guide him, toward the back of the mansion.

Whoosh.

Burren, Martha, Runaan, and Mark Gorton stuck to his back like shadows, moving without a sound.

“That is the conference hall of the Five Divine Orders.”

Mekane pointed to the conference hall, which was draped in the majesty of an ancient cathedral, and gave a small nod.

“This conference hall was built to be as large and grand as possible, also in consideration of the reputations of the other members of the Five Divine Orders.”

Mekane nodded, saying this was one thing she couldn’t compromise on.

“I agree that’s the right way to do it.”

Raon nodded and scanned the conference hall.

‘It feels both splendid and solid.’

They didn’t just care about the exterior. He could feel a steadfastness from the conference hall, as if it had resolved never to collapse again.

“Huu.”

Mekane straightened his posture and personally opened the conference hall doors.

Ruuuumble!

With a small vibration as if the ground were shifting, the massive doors opened, revealing the scene inside.

In the center of the conference hall stood a pure white round table, and at its far end sat two breathtakingly beautiful women in different postures.

Whoooom!

The Thespian Emperor in the center exuded a mystical aura, as if she could wash away all the injustice in the world, while the Evil Sword Marquis on the right revealed a sharp presence, as if a sword had become human.

“You’ve arrived.”

The Thespian Emperor rose from her chair with an elegant posture and gave a slight bow.

“It’s been a while.”

The Evil Sword Marquis tilted her head without changing her posture in the slightest.

“I’m glad to see you both look healthy.”

Raon lightly brushed off the aura of Transcenders that the Thespian Emperor and the Evil Sword Marquis were naturally emitting and stood before the round table.

“Hmm.”

“……”

Seeing this, a distinct light of interest shone in the eyes of the two women.

“It’s even more surprising to see in person.”

The Thespian Emperor let out a hollow breath as she looked at Raon’s red eyes.

“I’ve heard various rumors, but to think you’ve truly ascended to that realm.”

She shook her head, saying it was an achievement hard to believe even seeing it.

“It makes me doubt my own eyes.”

The Evil Sword Marquis lowered her fine eyebrows.

“I see why those wretched fools died.”

She tapped the round table with her finger, saying she understood why he was able to defeat Demonblade and the Demon Slayer Spear.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t properly congratulated you. Congratulations on reaching transcendence.”

The Thespian Emperor said her congratulations were late and bowed her head deeply.

“Thank you.”

Raon met the Thespian Emperor’s serene gaze and bowed his head in return.

‘She’s strong.’

Seeing her in person, the level of the Thespian Emperor’s soul felt even more immense. She was a warrior distinctly different from the Demonblade and the Demon Slayer Spear. Although his chances of winning were high, it didn’t seem easy to guarantee a victory.

‘And the Evil Sword Marquis is…’

He turned his gaze to the right and looked at the Evil Sword Marquis.

‘Weaker than the Thespian Emperor.’

Just as he had seen and felt before, the Evil Sword Marquis’s power was clearly inferior to the Thespian Emperor’s.

She was stronger than the Demonblade, but on a similar level to the Demon Slayer Spear. If they fought, he was confident he could win ten times out of ten.

‘But why did the Head of House speak as if I should be more wary of the Evil Sword Marquis?’

Glenn had calmly accepted his words about being able to defeat the Thespian Emperor, but he had seemed to have doubts regarding the Evil Sword Marquis.

‘He’s not the type to joke around.’

Unlike Rimmer, there was no reason for Glenn to joke about such an important matter. It seemed certain that there was something about the Evil Sword Marquis that he didn’t know.

‘I must be careful.’

So that I won’t be flustered no matter what happens.

Thud.

Raon placed his clasped hands on the round table, calming his tense insides.

“I heard a rumor recently…”

The Evil Sword Marquis narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

“Is the story that you killed The Fallen One true?”

She let out a low groan as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Absurd stories are mostly just rumors.”

Raon chuckled and waved his hand.

“I thought so.”

The Evil Sword Marquis clicked her tongue briefly.

“It’s true you’re strong, but not enough to defeat the Thespian Emperor.”

She nodded, seeming to dismiss the death of The Fallen One as a baseless rumor.

“……”

The Thespian Emperor said nothing, merely gazing at him with her transparent eyes.

“However, that rumor is true.”

Raon slowly raised his hand.

“The Fallen One is dead. Of course, it wasn’t something I did alone.”

He didn’t tell her everything, only the fact that The Fallen One was dead.

“Huh?”

The Evil Sword Marquis’s eyes churned violently like a stormy sea.

“H-how?”

She slammed the table and shot to her feet, as if she couldn’t understand.

“The Archmage Chamber was there for the Black Tower Lord, but not this time!”

The Evil Sword Marquis stared at him with trembling eyes, as if demanding he explain the circumstances.

“……”

The Thespian Emperor wasn’t flustered in the slightest and calmly drank her tea. It seemed she already knew the whole truth.

“It’s not difficult to explain the circumstances, but before that, there’s something I must ask you two first.”

Raon calmly shook his head.

“What is it?”

The Evil Sword Marquis narrowed her eyes.

“Please, speak.”

The Thespian Emperor quietly set down her teacup, as if she would answer anything.

“I. No, Zieghart believes it has given the Five Divine Orders many opportunities. So now, I want a clear answer.”

Raon muttered, his eyes flashing with a sharp, murderous glint.

“Will you walk the same path as the Five Kings, or will you die in this very spot…”

He looked down at the two wide-eyed women and arrogantly jutted his chin.

“Choose now.”