The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman
Chapter 873:

“Ah….”

Raon’s mouth hung open as he looked at Karoon, who was wearing a victorious smile.

‘Is this really that man…?’

Was this really Karoon Zieghart?

Karoon had once been consumed by inferiority, constantly belittling and insulting both Raon and Sylvia. But after realizing his faults and sincerely reflecting, he overcame that inferiority and reached transcendence.

He was a man with deep affection for Zieghart and unwavering pride as a martial artist, someone Raon respected in his heart—he never thought he’d be seeing him in such a petty light.

“Is that what you should be saying to your nephew who just came back from slaying dragons?”

Balder furrowed his brow, his expression making it clear he couldn’t believe it.

“Besides, Raon took down three dragons. That’s different from someone who nearly died just trying to kill one.”

“You don’t understand. No matter how many small ones you catch, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is how big the one you caught was.”

Karoon insisted, like a fisherman boasting about his catch, that the dragon’s size was all that mattered. (T/N: I’m sure some of you will say performance is better. If you know, you know. LOL)

“Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe he has a point…?”

Balder suddenly muttered that size was important, as if he’d been infected by Karoon’s thinking.

“Wait, no! If your nephew slayed dragons, just praise him!”

He swung his elbow, telling himself to snap out of it.

“Hmph.”

Karoon easily dodged Balder’s jab and placed his hand on Matirus’s horn.

“What was this ancient dragon’s special ability?”

“It was gravity that could be used without mana. He could freely control the intensity, from the slightest pull up to enough force to crush me.”

Raon let out a brief sigh, saying it had been a tough fight.

“If you hadn’t told me that ancient dragons had special abilities, I would have been in real danger.”

It wasn’t a lie. If Karoon hadn’t told him before he left for Seiphia about the special abilities of ancient dragons, he would have fallen for Matirus’s tricks and the Black Dragon’s sensory shifts.

“No, even if I hadn’t told you, you would have figured it out yourself.”

Karoon shook his head, firmly refusing to let Raon give him credit for the victory.

– What’s wrong with that big-eyed guy?

‘Big-eyed guy?’

– Because he’s the father of the sharp-eyed one. Big-eyed guy fits, right?

Wrath scrunched his nose, calling Karoon the big-eyed guy.

– Now that all that inferiority in those fierce eyes is gone, he just seems like an idiot.

He shook his head, saying he didn’t get it.

‘I don’t really get it either.’

Raon nodded. He didn’t understand Karoon’s behavior at all.

“I’m proud to have the Zieghart name after mine. I’d die for that.”

Karoon took his hand off Matirus’s head and looked at Raon.

“Today, I felt that same spirit in you. It means a bit of Zieghart pride has settled in your soul too.”

He patted his own shoulder and turned away.

“Whatever happens in the future, keep holding on to that feeling. Welcome back.”

With those last words, Karoon walked back toward the head’s hall.

“Uh, Father, what did you say to Raon?”

Burren approached Karoon with a nervous look.

“Nothing much. More importantly…”

Karoon narrowed his eyes and looked Burren up and down.

“What did you learn from this mission?”

“Uh, just how lacking I still am….”

“I agree. I’ll look after you instead of the head of house.”

“Huh?”

He grabbed the back of Burren’s neck and dragged him off to the Central Martial Palace.

“What’s with that guy?”

Balder shook his head, unable to understand Karoon.

“…….”

Raon clicked his tongue, watching Karoon walk away.

‘Was that his way of giving me a compliment?’

Knowing Karoon’s personality, he couldn’t approach warmly, so he must have found this awkward way to encourage him.

“Watching that guy makes me hungry from all the thinking.”

Balder patted his huge belly and looked at Raon.

“I heard dragon meat is delicious. Got any left?”

He wiggled his fingers, as if asking for some.

“Of course. Dorian.”

“Yes, sir!”

At Raon’s nod, Dorian pulled out dragon meat from his belly pouch.

“Mm! Thanks.”

Balder gratefully took three pieces of dragon meat.

“And also…”

Lowering his voice, he placed the meat on his shoulder.

“About what you asked me…”

Just as he was about to continue, a gentle voice interrupted.

“Hmm….”

Behind Balder’s massive frame, Denier and Martha were walking over.

“Looks like you’re having a serious talk. Am I interrupting?”

Denier waved lightly, looking at Balder, who had stiffened up.

“Serious? No way! I was just asking how to grill this meat.”

Balder snorted, pretending it was nothing.

“Oh? Dragon meat, huh. It’s hard to grill, but the taste puts even the finest beef to shame!”

Martha gave a thumbs-up, saying it was better than expected.

“Dorian. You have any more meat left?”

“Plenty!”

Dorian nodded and pulled out three more kinds of dragon meat.

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”

Denier nodded to Dorian and Raon.

“What brings you here?”

Balder raised an eyebrow.

“You’ve been following me around lately, so I wondered why you weren’t here today. Let’s go back together.”

Denier shrugged, saying they should head back together.

“If that’s all, wait a bit. I’ve got one more thing to get from my nephew.”

Balder waved them on ahead.

“Alright.”

Denier nodded lightly, glancing at Raon.

“You did well. Get some rest.”

He smiled kindly as always and turned away.

“Thanks for the food!”

Martha waved as she left arm-in-arm with her father, Denier.

There was a faint hint of unease in that scene.

“Anyway, as for what I was saying earlier, there wasn’t anything strange.”

Balder frowned as he watched Denier walk away.

“In fact, he used his time so efficiently it was almost annoying. He even schedules meals and walks.”

“You’re not visiting my aunt?”

“I stop by almost every day, but despite your worries, there’s never any sign of weird spells or anything.”

He shook his head, saying it was just a normal hospital visit.

“I see. Thank you for your trouble.”

Raon bowed his head to Balder.

“Don’t mention it! If you need anything else later, just ask anytime!”

Balder waved and left.

“Dorian.”

Raon called Dorian while watching Balder and Denier walk away.

“Can you tell me what you sensed from the people who came by earlier?”

Since Dorian had Mind’s Eye, he might have noticed things Raon hadn’t.

“Hmm….”

Dorian tilted his head, hand to his mouth.

“The Central Martial Palace Lord felt like a straight sword. But now, the blade feels softer, like a flexible sword. The True Martial Palace Lord was just, um, appetite?”

He let out an awkward laugh as he described Karoon and Balder.

“And from the Black Tortoise Palace Lord…”

Dorian clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“I didn’t sense anything at all.”

He admitted he couldn’t sense anything from Denier.

“I see….”

Raon sighed, watching Denier disappear from sight.

‘Seems like he caught on to Balder’s intent too. He’s not an easy one.’

If he could be caught by something like this, the head of house would have seen through him long ago.

Denier Zieghart was a man who couldn’t be easily read. Even now, Raon couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

‘Still, I’ll need to keep him in check.’

He couldn’t afford to let his guard down—no matter what, he needed to be prepared.

“Dorian. Can I have some meat too?”

Raon reached out for some meat.

“Yes!”

Dorian happily handed over three types of dragon meat, smiling. Taking things out seemed to be what made him happiest.

“Thanks.”

– Oho! Is this an offering for this king?

Wrath arrogantly lifted his chin as if he was finally being offered tribute.

‘Keep dreaming.’

Raon brushed off Wrath and headed for the annex with Yua and Yulius.

Chatting with the kids, it wasn’t long before the annex appeared, warm smoke rising from within.

“Madam! Sisters!”

Yua burst through the door, announcing their return from the mission.

Kugugugu!

With a crash like the stairs collapsing, Sia rushed out and hugged Raon.

“Raon! You’re late!”

Sia shook her head, asking why he was so late.

“But I kept the house safe for you while you were gone!”

She rubbed her head against him, wanting praise.

“Raon!”

“I heard all about your exploits from your father-in-law. You took down three dragons?”

Sylvia and Edgar waved and smiled, welcoming him back.

“Good work, sis.”

Raon stroked Sia’s head and bowed his head.

“I’m home.”

As expected, the only place he truly felt at peace on the whole continent was the annex.

“This is a present.”

He waved the dragon meat he’d gotten from Dorian.

– Thank you! This king will eat well….

‘Not you!’

—

“Ahh!”

After finishing dinner with his family, Raon collapsed onto the bed. After a bath and a full stomach, he just wanted to sleep.

– Khm! It’s a pity I couldn’t eat dragon roast, but the annex food was still delicious.

Wrath smacked his lips, satisfied with the meal.

– Nothing beats home cooking!

‘Home cooking, huh…’

Wrath really seemed to think of the annex as home now.

Home wasn’t a word to be used lightly.

Wrath had mentioned it before, but never as naturally or comfortably as now.

– But what will you do about that?

Wrath swished his tail and looked down.

‘That?’

– The lizard heart.

He pointed to the subspace pouch lying atop the dresser.

-An ancient lizard’s heart contains power beyond your imagination. Even the dragons’ special abilities come from that.

Wrath warned that Raon should be careful with it.

‘I’ve already decided who to give one to. As for the other…’

Raon glanced at Wrath and shook his head.

‘I’ll hold onto it for now. I might need it someday.’

– Who are you giving it to?

‘That’s…’

As he was about to answer, he sensed someone at the window.

Looking over, he saw Glenn tapping on the window with his finger.

“Grandfather?”

Raon blinked and opened the window.

“What brings you here…?”

He’d been expecting to meet Glenn at the training grounds tonight, so he hadn’t thought he’d come here.

“I decided to take a walk. Since I’m out, let’s walk to the training ground together.”

Glenn gestured for him to come along and turned away.

“Understood.”

Raon grabbed his Heavenly Drive, Soul Requiem Sword, and Rimmer’s sword and quietly left the annex.

He caught up to Glenn, greeted him, and walked alongside him.

“Now that I think about it, I went to return that sword and ended up bringing it back.”

Glenn looked at Rimmer’s sword at his waist and smiled faintly.

“The Guardian told me to keep it as proof of Zieghart and Seiphia’s alliance.”

Raon shook his head, saying Stehrin never took the sword.

“Oh, and…”

He drew the Soul Requiem Sword from his back with a short sigh.

“My master hasn’t left yet.”

“He hasn’t left? What do you mean?”

“Actually…”

Raon explained that Rimmer’s soul was still dwelling in the Soul Requiem Sword.

“Kahahaha!”

Glenn burst into rare loud laughter.

“That’s just like him. Sheryl will like hearing that.”

He shook his head, calling him that troublesome elf.

“What was the relationship between the Heavenly Sword Division Lord and my master?”

Raon cautiously asked about Rimmer.

“Hmm, that’s… no, it’s not my place to say.”

Glenn shook his head, saying he couldn’t talk about his subordinates’ private lives.

“Ask him yourself. Though he’ll probably run away.”

He smiled faintly, as if he could picture exactly how it would go.

“It’s not easy for me to ask….”

Raon scratched the back of his head.

“…You’ve changed a lot, too.”

Glenn said Raon seemed to have gotten better at reading people.

“I still have a long way to go. People say I’m clueless every day.”

Strangely, it didn’t feel awkward talking to Glenn anymore. It wasn’t like they could talk deeply, but Raon felt a little closer to him.

As they chatted, they arrived behind the head’s hall at the training ground before they knew it.

“Have you mastered the Azure Sky Sword?”

Glenn gazed at the darkening sky.

“I haven’t fully mastered it, but there’s no form I can’t use now.”

Having reached transcendence and improved in all swordsmanship, Raon no longer struggled with any part of the Azure Sky Sword. As long as he had enough practice, he could master it all.

“Then it’s time to move on.”

“Move on?”

“Somewhere in the sky, there’s always lightning. The martial art I’ll teach you now…”

A red bolt of lightning flashed across Glenn’s eyes.

“Is the Sword of Thunder that I created recently.”