The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 873
Chapter 873
“Ah….”
Raon’s jaw dropped as he looked at Karun, who was grinning triumphantly.
‘Is that….
Is it really Karun Sieghardt?
Karun was originally obsessed with inferiority, ignoring and insulting himself and Sylvia, but after realising his mistake, he overcame his inferiority through reflection and hard work and rose to transcendence.
He was a man of deep affection for Siegfried and unshakable pride as a dragon, a man he looked up to in his heart, but he hadn’t expected to be so cold.
“Is that what you say to your nephew who just captured a dragon?”
Valder’s brow furrowed deeply. He looked incredulous.
“Besides, Raon has killed three dragons, not like you, who nearly died trying to kill one.”
“You don’t understand. It doesn’t matter how many small ones you kill. It’s how big they are that counts.”
Karun only mentioned the dragon’s size, like anglers bragging about who caught the biggest fish.
“Well, it sounds like it…?”
Valder suddenly mumbled something about size being important, as if he had been assimilated by Karun.
“No, not this, if your nephew caught a dragon, just praise him!”
He swung his elbow at her to wake her up.
“Hmph.”
Karun dodged Valder’s attack lightly, then placed a hand on Matirus’s horn.
“What was this ancient dragon’s ability?”
“It was mana-free gravity. He could use it at will, from a mere trickle to something strong enough to crush me.”
Raon let out a short sigh, noting that it hadn’t been an easy fight.
“It would have been dangerous if Zhong Mu Zhen hadn’t told me that the Great Dragon had special abilities.”
It was not a lie. If Karun hadn’t told him before they left for Sephiroth that High Dragons had special abilities, Matthirus would have been greatly affected by the Black Dragon’s sensory changes, not to mention Matthirus himself.
“No, you would have done it on your own, even if I hadn’t told you.”
Karun shook his head, refusing to take credit for what he’d done.
-What’s with those big eyes?
“Big eyes?
-Because he’s my father, he has big eyes.
Rath narrowed the bridge of his nose as he called Karun big-eyed.
-I wonder if the inferiority complex that used to fill those fierce eyes is gone, or if they’ve become stupid.
He shook his head as if he didn’t understand.
‘I don’t know either.
Raon nodded. He couldn’t understand Karun’s words either, so he had nothing to say.
“I’m proud to have the surname Sigkhardt after my name, and I’m willing to die for it.”
Karun removed his hand from Mathirus’ head and looked at Raon.
“I thought I saw it in you today. A little bit of pride for Siegfried in your soul.”
He patted himself on the shoulder and turned away.
“I hope you keep that with you, no matter what happens in the future. Welcome back.”
With those last words, Karun stepped back to the front of the kazoo.
“Ah, Father, what did you say to Raon?”
Buren approached Karun nervously.
“It’s nothing, more like….”
Karun looked him up and down with narrowed eyes.
“What did you bring back from this mission?”
“Well, I realise that I’m still a long way off….”
“I can see that. I’ll see to it that you don’t.”
“What?”
He grabbed Beren by the scruff of the neck and dragged him to the comm.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Valder shook his head as if he couldn’t understand Karun.
“….”
Ra’on watched Karun’s back as he walked away, and paused.
“I suppose he wanted to pay you a compliment.
Karun’s personality wouldn’t allow him to come across as friendly, so he was probably trying to cheer himself up by saying something like this.
“Looking at him, I’m hungry, with so much to think about.”
Valder rubbed his stomach with the lid of his pot and turned his attention to Raon.
“I hear dragon meat is so good, do you have any left?”
He snapped his fingers as if to ask if there was any left.
“Of course. Dorian.”
“Ah, yum!”
Raon jerked his chin, and Dorian pulled the dragon meat from his belly pouch.
“Mmmm, thank you.”
Valder said, and took the three chunks of dragon meat with a grin.
“Oh, and….”
He lowered his voice slightly as he placed the meat on his shoulder.
“About that thing you asked for….”
“What kind of conversation are we having in a place like this?”
Valder was about to open his mouth again when a soft voice interrupted him.
“Um….”
I could see Denier and Marta walking up behind Valder’s mountainous frame.
“Looks like a serious conversation by the looks on your faces, did I interrupt?”
Denier looked at the stiffened Valder and gave him a slight wave.
“Never mind, I was just asking how to roast this meat.”
Valder snorted at the bullshit.
“Huh? Dragon meat. It’s hard to roast, but the flavour can’t be beaten by the finest beef!”
Marta gave it a thumbs up, finding it unexpectedly good.
“Dorian. Do you have any meat left?”
“Plenty!”
Dorian nodded and pulled three cuts of dragon meat from his belly pocket.
“Thank you. I’ll eat.”
Denier nodded towards Dorian and Raon.
“What are you doing here?”
Valder lowered one eyebrow in question.
“You’ve been following me around lately, so I was waiting to see why you didn’t come today.”
Denier shrugged, suggesting they head back together.
“Well, if that’s the case, you’ll have to wait a while. I have something more for my nephew.”
Valder motioned for him to go ahead.
“I will.”
Denier nodded slightly, then looked at Raon.
“You’ve had a long day. Get some rest.”
He turned away, flashing his ever-present, generous smile.
“I’ll eat!”
Marta waved to her father, Denier, and walked away.
I could see the slightest hint of anxiety in that look.
“Well, to continue what I was going to say earlier, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.”
Valder frowned at Denier as he walked away.
“If anything, you’re so efficient with your time that it’s almost irritating. Everything is timed, even the meals and walks.”
“You don’t visit your aunt, do you?”
“I stop by almost every day, and contrary to your fears, she’s not in the mood for any strange spells.”
He shook his head, as if to say that it was literally just a sick visit.
“I see, well done.”
Raon bowed to Valder.
“No! If there’s anything else I can do for you in the future, just ask!”
Valder left, letting his nephew know that he was always available for favours.
“Dorian.”
Raon called to Dorian, watching Denier’s back as he walked with Valder.
“Can you tell me what you sensed from the people who came here a little while ago?”
Dorian’s mind was mindful, and perhaps he saw things she did not.
“Um….”
Dorian put a hand to his mouth and shook his head.
“The middle one felt like a straight blade, but unlike before, the blade was softened like a kite, and the jin one was just poetry, appetite?”
He smirked, referring to Karun and Valder.
“Last time I heard from you, you had the ability to….”
Dorian paused, shaking his head.
“I didn’t feel anything.”
He looked away, as if to say he had no idea.
“I see….”
Raon watched Denier disappear and let out a short sigh.
‘Looks like he’s figured out Valder’s intentions, too.
If he had his tail between his legs, he would have been found out by the Lord.
Denier Sieghard was not an easy man to judge. Even now I couldn’t tell what he meant.
‘Still, we must keep him in check.
He couldn’t afford to be stabbed in the back again, so he’d better be ready for anything.
“Dorian. Can I have some meat?”
Raon asked, extending his hand to Dorian for some meat.
“Yes!”
Dorian smiled as he pulled out three types of dragon meat as if he’d been waiting for it. He seemed happiest when he was taking things out and putting them in.
“Thank you.”
-Oh! You’re giving him the Bone King?
Rath jerked his chin arrogantly, as if he’d finally made a sacrifice.
“Dream on.
Raon pushed him away and headed for the annex with Yu and Julius.
She made light conversation with the children, and it wasn’t long before she could see the annexe rising with warm smoke.
“Ma’am, sisters!”
Yua barged through the door, announcing his return from the mission.
Koo-koo-koo!
As soon as the stairs sounded like they were breaking down, Sia burst out and hugged Raon.
“Raon, you’re late!”
Sia shook her head, wondering why she was so late.
“But at least I was watching the house instead of Raon!”
She rubbed her head as if for some sort of praise.
“Raon!”
“I heard about your exploits from your father-in-law. He told me you killed three dragons.
Sylvia and Edgar waved and smiled as if to say welcome back.
“Good job, sis.”
Raon patted Sia’s head and ducked his head.
“I’m back.”
As usual, the annex was the only place on the entire continent where she felt comfortable.
“This is a gift.”
He waved the dragon meat Dorian had given him and bowed.
-Thank you! King Bone will eat well….
-Not you!
* * *
“Ouch!”
Raon threw himself into bed after finishing his meal with his family. After taking a bath and filling his stomach, he just wanted to sleep like this.
-It was a shame he didn’t get to try the roasted dragon, but the other dishes in the annex were still delicious.
Lars takes a long, satisfied bite of his dinner.
-Home cooking is the best!
‘Home cooking….’
I wonder if Ras also considers the annexe home now.
The word home doesn’t come easily to him.
I’ve said home before, but I’ve never said it so easily and comfortably before.
-But what are you going to do about it?
Lars came downstairs, his tail flicking.
“That?
-The lizard heart.
He pointed to the subspace pouch on top of the drawer.
-The Lizardheart is more powerful than you realise. It’s where the lizards’ special powers come from.
Rath shook his head, warning him to be careful.
‘I’ve decided who to give one to, and the other to….’
Raon looked at Rath and shook his head briefly.
‘I’ll keep it for now. I might need to use it later.
-Give it to who? Who is it?
‘That’s….’
I was about to answer when I felt a tap at the window.
I turned to see Glenn tapping on the window with his finger.
“Grandpa?”
Raon opened the window, eyes wide.
“How did you get here….”
She hadn’t expected him to come here, as she and Glenn had arranged to meet tonight at the training ground in Gazoo.
“I went for a walk. Let’s walk to the theatre.”
Glenn jerked his chin as if to say come on, then turned away.
“Very well.”
Raon gathered up the Celestial Sword, the True Soul Sword, and Rimmer’s Sword, and quietly left the annex.
He walked up beside Glenn, who was walking first, and greeted him again.
“Now that I think about it, you went to return his sword and brought it back with you.”
Glenn looked at Remer’s sword at his waist and smiled thinly.
“The Guardian told me to take it back as proof of Siegfried’s alliance with Seifia.”
Raon shook his head, noting that Sterin had never taken the sword.
“Oh, and….”
He let out a short sigh as he reached for the True Soul Blade sheathed at the back of his waist.
“Master hasn’t left yet.”
“Hasn’t left, what do you mean?”
“Actually….”
Raon told me that Limerick’s soul was still embedded in the True Soul Blade.
“Hahahahaha!”
Glenn laughed out loud, a rare occurrence.
“That’s so like him. Cheryl would love that.”
He shook his head, referring to the bored elf.
“What was your relationship with the Heavenly Swordmaster and Master?”
Raon asked, curious about Limerick.
“Hmm, that’s… No, that’s not for me to say.”
Glenn shook his head, saying it was not his place to meddle in the private lives of his servants.
“You’ll have to ask him yourself. They’ll probably run away.”
He smiled weakly, as if he could imagine what would happen.
“It’s hard for me to ask….”
Raon ruffled the back of his hair.
“…Me neither, but you’ve changed a lot.”
Glenn cupped his chin, feeling like he was starting to get a feel for people.
“Not yet, because I still get called clueless every day.”
Oddly enough, talking to Glenn doesn’t feel awkward. I felt a little closer to him, even if it wasn’t enough to talk deeply.
As we walked along, making small talk, we eventually reached the training grounds behind the main hall.
“Have you mastered the spear?”
Glenn asked, looking up at the dark sky.
“Not quite mastered, but there’s nothing I can’t do with it now.”
Now that I had reached Transcendence, and all of my swordsmanship had improved, there was nothing I couldn’t do with the spear. With enough time to practice, he could master them all.
“Then we can move on to the next one.”
“Next?”
“There’s always a lightning strike somewhere in the sky, and the next martial art to be taught is….”
Red lightning flashed above Glenn’s eyes.
“It’s a sword I forged not long ago.”