The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman

Raon led the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace, their bodies and minds honed to a razor’s edge, and headed for the Head of House’s quarters where Glenn would be waiting.

As he entered the audience chamber, its double iron doors thrown open as if they might break, the Heavenly Sword Division, clad in white robes, stood before the dais, exuding a heavy aura.

At their center stood the Heavenly Sword Division Leader, Sheryl, her hair neatly tied up. She had been away for a while, and it seemed she had returned after a long time.

Hwaaaaaaah.

Glenn sat on the throne, his chin propped on his hand. Instead of the usual emptiness in his eyes, they held a warmth that seemed slightly awkward.

“You’ve come.”

Glenn gestured with his chin for them to approach.

Step.

Raon stepped onto the red carpet, which seemed to burn with a sacred flame in the sunlight, and stood before Glenn.

“I greet the Head of House.”

He knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

“We greet the Head of House!”

The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace behind him bowed at the waist in time with his voice.

“Rise.”

Glenn waved his hand lightly.

“You will have many occasions to bow your heads when you go to Balkan, so there is no need to start already.”

He told them to stand straight and smiled faintly.

“Raon. No, Lord of the Light Wind Palace, it’s been a while.”

Sheryl took a step forward and bowed her head slightly.

“Pardon? Lady Sheryl. Why the sudden formality….”

Raon’s eyes widened as he looked at the top of Sheryl’s head.

“Because you are a Lord of Zieghart. I can’t treat you as carelessly as before.”

Sheryl shrugged, saying she couldn’t speak informally to a Palace Lord.

“Please don’t. It makes me uncomfortable.”

Raon let out a short sigh as he looked at the smiling Sheryl.

-Uncomfortable, my ass. Is there anyone who loves being treated with respect as much as you do!

Wrath snorted, telling him not to lie.

‘Even if I like being treated with respect, I don’t want to hear someone like my master speak formally to me.’

Sheryl had helped him in many ways, and he had even learned dual-wielding from her. He had no desire to be addressed formally by someone who had been like a teacher to him.

“Really? Then I’ll speak informally, just as the Lord wishes.”

Sheryl immediately dropped the formal speech, as if she had been joking from the start.

“Yes. Please do.”

Raon nodded, observing Sheryl’s slightly weary complexion.

“Have you been away all this time?”

“Pretty much. I had to clean up the mess you made, and I also did some preliminary checks for the upcoming Five Kings Conference.”

Sheryl smacked her lips briefly, saying she had been incredibly busy.

“The mess I made….”

“What else could it be? The great feat of destroying the Black Tower. There was a lot to clean up.”

She dusted off her hands, saying they had handled the aftermath of the Black Tower. From the sound of it, she seemed to have been the busiest of all.

“…Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, I should be thanking you.”

Sheryl smiled and patted his shoulder.

“It was busy, but it wasn’t difficult. As soon as I said I was from Zieghart, everyone welcomed and treated me well.”

She let out a dry laugh, saying it was the first time she had received such a welcome.

“I see.”

Raon recalled the residents of Montiro, who had bowed so low their backs might break, and a gentle smile formed on his lips.

“Don’t worry. Everyone is doing well.”

Sheryl smiled coolly, as if she had read his thoughts.

“Yes. I trust that the Heavenly Sword Division Leader took good care of them.”

Raon nodded, saying he believed in her.

“I was worried too, so that’s a relief.”

Burren looked at Sheryl and breathed a sigh of relief.

“He destroyed the Black Tower for them, of course they should be doing well.”

Martha slammed her hand down, declaring that there would be no more problems from now on.

“Yes. May there be continued peace….”

Runaan clasped her hands together as if praying for Montiro’s stability.

Having spent a lot of time in Montiro, it seemed all the Light Wind Palace swordsmen had grown quite attached to it.

“But how are we getting to Balkan?”

Raon’s eyes narrowed as he looked around the Head of House’s quarters. Normally, they would use the portal in the Magic Tower to travel elsewhere from Zieghart, but today they had been summoned to the Head of House’s quarters, and he was curious as to why.

“It seems the time has not yet come. Wait a little longer.”

Glenn shook his head calmly, as if someone was on their way.

“Understood.”

“I have a question as well….”

He lowered his gaze and gestured slightly with his chin.

“There is someone behind you who is not a member of the Light Wind Palace.”

Glenn tilted his chin slightly, looking at the person behind him.

“I was about to mention it.”

Raon stepped to his left and turned around. Behind him stood Saintess Olga, dressed in a neatly pressed nun’s habit.

“The Saintess expressed her wish to accompany us, so I brought her along.”

He led Olga forward and bowed his head.

“Wishes to accompany you?”

Glenn’s eyebrows lowered, as if asking what that meant.

“That is….”

“I will explain.”

Olga stepped forward, saying she would speak for herself.

“I heard from the Lord of the Light Wind Palace. One of the purposes of this Five Kings Conference is to draw the neutral factions, who have not yet chosen a path, to the side of the Five Kings.”

She clasped her hands in front of her. Perhaps because all her tattoos were gone, her form, bathed in the gentle sunlight, felt as divine as a goddess.

“My name is also known throughout the continent, by the title of Saintess. I thought that if I were to participate in the Five Kings Conference on Zieghart’s side, it would be of some help, however small.”

Olga bowed her head to Glenn, saying she wanted to go with them to lend Zieghart her strength.

-Why does she look like a real saintess?

Wrath rubbed his eyes, as if something was strange.

‘Because she is a saintess.’

The tattoos that had covered Olga’s entire body were gone, and her sun-darkened complexion had cleared up completely.

When her naturally radiant beauty was combined with her milky-white skin, she looked like a goddess from mythology who had descended to the mortal world.

‘Of course, her way of speaking is still rough….’

Olga was only hiding it because she was in front of Glenn; she still used the speech patterns of a back-alley thug.

‘I barely managed to stop Sia Noona from picking it up.’

Sia was strangely fond of Olga. She followed her around all day except when training with her sword, so she had almost picked up her way of speaking.

“I am grateful for your consideration.”

Glenn nodded at Olga, saying he hadn’t expected her to think of Zieghart first.

“Not at all. What I have received from the Lord of the Light Wind Palace is far greater.”

Olga bowed deeply, saying the help she had received from Raon was so immense she could never repay it.

“I-Is that so?”

Glenn bit his lip and turned his head to the left. The tips of his fingers began to tremble.

“In what way?”

Glenn stealthily shifted his gaze back, as if he wanted to hear more praise for Raon.

“The Lord of the Light Wind Palace is the savior of our Holy Kingdom of Supere. It would not have been strange for him to ask for the country itself, but he desired no reward and simply returned. And this time, he even saved my life when it was on the brink of its end.”

Olga lightly bit her lip and looked back at Raon.

“As a Saintess, I have seen countless types of people, but I have never met anyone like the Lord of the Light Wind Palace.”

She nodded gravely, saying it was the first time she had felt the resonance of the soul that the gods speak of.

“Keuh-heum! To that extent?”

Glenn’s cheeks flushed, as if he was already on cloud nine even though the Five Kings Conference hadn’t even started.

“Yes. That is how I felt.”

Just as Olga nodded calmly, as if speaking only the truth.

Woooooong!

A blue dimension opened below the dais, and Princess Jaina of Balkan and mages in white robes walked out.

“I greet the Sky of Zieghart.”

Jaina placed a hand over her chest and bowed to Glenn.

“Yes. It has been a while.”

Glenn looked at Jaina and nodded gently.

“Is your body alright now?”

“Yes. Thanks to your concern.”

Jaina said she had recovered and glanced at him standing behind her.

“It has been decided that Balkan will be directly responsible for this transport. You will be able to go directly to the royal capital without needing to use multiple portals.”

Glenn nodded, saying that Balkan and the Magic Tower had prepared this transport themselves.

“However, this route is for one-time use only. It cannot be used after this conference.” (T/N: I have a bad feeling about this….)

Jaina pointed to the blue portal she had arrived in, explaining that it was a dimensional gate that could only be used once.

“Then let us depart.”

Glenn stood up from the throne, as if there was no need to wait.

“Understood.”

When Jaina nodded, the mages behind her raised their staves.

Woooooong!

A light like a constellation shot out from the tips of the staves, and the dimensional gate opened wide horizontally. It was wide enough for ten people to enter at once.

“You may enter now.”

Jaina stepped aside, gesturing for Glenn to enter first.

“Come to think of it, they did say I should go in first, correct?”

Glenn narrowed his eyes at Jaina.

“Yes. That is correct.”

“Honestly, they make me do all sorts of strange things.”

He smacked his lips briefly and stood before the portal.

“I will go in first. Follow slowly.”

Glenn gave a light nod and was the first to enter the portal.

“Hahaha.”

“Yes!”

Roenn and Sheryl followed right behind Glenn, and the Heavenly Sword Division also entered the portal immediately.

“Just a moment. I think it would be best to enter after those who went ahead have exited.”

As Raon was about to follow, Jaina raised a hand to block his path. Unlike before, she wasn’t using forced formal speech, but was speaking politely and cleanly.

“You’ve changed a lot. I think we can tear up that contract now, don’t you?”

Raon smiled faintly at Jaina.

“There was much I saw and felt for myself.”

Jaina bowed her head, thanking him for what he did in Montiro.

-D-Did this one really change too? I thought she’d do nothing but shriek even in death!

Wrath’s mouth fell open in surprise.

‘Some people do change.’

Just as Karoon had changed into a true martial artist and an adult, it seemed Jaina, who had been a typical trashy royal, had also matured, if only a little.

“But there is someone here I wasn’t told would be accompanying you.”

Jaina’s eyebrows lowered slightly as she looked at Olga behind him.

“You got a problem? Do I have to pay you or something?”

Olga looked up at Jaina and narrowed her eyes.

“No. I was just curious as to why you are here.”

Jaina tilted her chin slightly.

“To repay a debt. I hate just receiving things.”

Olga looked at Raon with a sullen expression.

“A debt, I see….”

Jaina smacked her lips as she looked back and forth between Olga and Raon. She seemed somewhat disappointed, but also as if she understood.

“Hey! Enough chatting, let’s go! How long do we have to wait!”

Martha stepped forward, patting her back as if it was starting to hurt.

“Boring….”

Runaan puffed out her cheeks, scratching the red carpet with her finger.

“The portal has stabilized. Shouldn’t we be able to enter now?”

Burren helped Runaan up and pointed to the portal, which was trembling less.

“…Yes. You may enter now.”

Jaina nodded, saying the portal was stable.

“Then.”

Raon bowed his head to Jaina and stepped into the dimensional gate.

As he felt his body float for a moment, a brilliant light erupted, and the world changed.

Hwaaaaaaaah!

As he slowly opened his eyes, he saw colorful flower petals falling before him.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Following the flower petals was a cheer so loud it could burst his eardrums.

The royal capital of Balkan. On the grand road leading to the royal castle, countless people were lined up, waving their hands at him.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“Zieghart! Zieghart!”

“The Light Wind Palace is here!”

“Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart!”

The people were sending thunderous applause and cheers toward him and the Light Wind Palace that followed behind him.

“This is….”

Raon let out a breath of disbelief as he looked at the royal road, where the flower petals and cheers continued endlessly.

“We were unable to hold a proper festival even after we defeated the Black Tower, so we wanted to hold one during this conference period to ease the people’s tension.”

Jaina nodded calmly, saying that from today, a victory celebration festival would be held in Balkan.

“Raon. Wave to them.”

Sheryl came up beside him and gently poked his side with her elbow.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that you are the one who brought back their smiles.”

She grinned, saying they would like it even more if he waved.

“Pardon? I don’t think it’s to that extent….”

“The Heavenly Sword Division Leader is right.”

Jaina shook her head firmly.

“Until the Black Tower was erased, the atmosphere in Balkan—no, in all of the Five Kings—was not good. Our enemy was hiding and eating away at our forces little by little, and we had no way to attack. Every morning, we would only hear news of which village had fallen, so everyone was terrified.”

She shook her head, her eyes revealing a deep fervor.

“But with the fall of the Black Tower, the situation changed completely. The Five Demons—no, the Four Demons—not only stopped attacking, but all traces of them vanished. It’s been a long time since we’ve felt such peace, so everyone is overjoyed.”

Jaina asserted that, just as Sheryl had said, their smiles were all thanks to him.

“Responding to those cheers is for their sake, Lord of the Light Wind Palace.”

She smiled faintly, saying that all the citizens here had gathered voluntarily.

“Keuh-heum! They have discerning eyes.”

Glenn’s shoulders trembled with emotion at the sound of Raon’s name coming from the mouths of so many people. He looked as if he had already forgotten the dignity he was supposed to maintain as the Head of House of Zieghart.

“Well, we did do a pretty good job.”

Martha waved to the citizens of Balkan, as if enjoying the situation.

“I’m just grateful they recognize it.”

Burren, too, seemed moved, placing a clenched fist over his chest.

“We are heroes….”

Runaan, also in a good mood, half-closed her eyes and straightened her back. It seemed she was trying to imitate the posture of a noble lady she had seen somewhere.

-Instead of all this cheering, just bring out some delicious food!

Wrath waved his hand dismissively, saying all that mattered was good food.

‘Always about food….’

As Raon sighed and shook his head, the Balkan knights standing before the people struck the ground with their massive spear shafts.

Kuuuuung!

The trembling of the earth spread throughout the royal capital, and as the crowd’s noise subsided, the knights’ mouths opened.

“The heroes of Zieghart are entering!”

As dozens of knights announced Zieghart’s arrival, a massive roar erupted not only from the road they were on, but also from above and below.

“Let’s go.”

Glenn’s expression turned cold, as if he had never been pleased, and he started up the petal-strewn royal road.

‘Hmm….’

Raon followed behind him, lightly biting his lip.

‘My chest is tingling.’

He had been cheered within Zieghart many times, but to receive the cheers of everyone from another faction, a massive kingdom like Balkan at that, made a heat bloom in his chest as if it would burst. He never knew the feeling of pride could be so overwhelming.

‘Calm down.’

But he couldn’t hold onto this feeling forever. The real war hadn’t even begun.

“Let’s go, too.”

Raon calmed the highly excited emotions of the Light Wind Palace swordsmen and followed Glenn up the royal road of Balkan.

“Waaaaaaaaaah!”

“Thanks to you, we can finally breathe!”

“May we be eternal allies with Balkan from now on!”

“Thank you so much!”

“Is that Raon Zieghart? A person’s face can’t be….”

As they walked up, hearing the endless flood of thanks and praise, the royal palace of Balkan soon came into view.

The main gate of the palace was wide open as if to welcome them, and in front of it, knights, mages, and civil officials were lined up.

“We welcome the heroes of Zieghart!”

The knights, mages, and civil officials bowed their heads, thanking them for coming all this way.

“You are….”

Raon’s eyes widened as he looked at the mages on the right. Looking closely, they were the mages who had climbed the Black Tower with him and fought to the very end.

However, one of them was a person he was seeing for the first time, and he could feel that they possessed an incredibly strong mana, though not quite on Chamber’s level.

“It’s been a while.”

Raon bowed his head to the mages he recognized.

“Have you been well?”

The mages smiled back at him, as if they were also happy to see him.

“That Chamber fellow….”

Glenn looked around and frowned.

“Why did she create such a noisy event?”

He clicked his tongue, saying it was too much of a fuss.

“When I see her today, I’ll have to give her a piece of my mind….”

“Isn’t it natural to welcome a hero?”

As Glenn shook his head, finding it absurd, Chamber descended from the highest tower of the royal palace, using her witch hat like a parachute.

“Enjoy this time!”

Chamber said it was a peace that might not come again, and popped a candy into her mouth.

“Besides, neither these kids nor the people below were called by me. They gathered on their own because they heard Raon was coming.”

Chamber waved her hand, saying that most of the people gathered in the royal capital came because they wanted to see Raon.

“R-Really? Then, well….”

Glenn suddenly stopped talking and cleared his throat. The corners of his lips began to tremble. After confirming with Chamber once more, he couldn’t hide his joy.

“That’s what I’m saying. As soon as the news spread that Raon was coming, it was a complete frenzy. He’s young, handsome, strong, and rich!”

Chamber laughed, saying it was the perfect place to brag about Raon.

“Ahem! That is true.”

Glenn whispered to Chamber that they could do it again on the way back.

“Lord…”

Raon tightly closed his eyes.

“Well, enough with the jokes…”

Glenn’s rounded eyes sharpened again and fell to the right.

“Why is the King of Balkan bowing his head here?”

“King? Huh? You!”

Chamber, as if realizing something, looked towards the wizards and crunched the candy in her mouth.

“Ha, as expected, nothing can be hidden from the Thunder God.”

A man with blue hair slowly rose from among the robe-clad wizards.

“Please don’t misunderstand. I didn’t come as a king, but as a father.”

He softly curled his lips as he looked at Raon.

“I wanted to see who the man who changed my daughter was first.”