The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman
Chapter 846

“Y-You…”

Raon gaped at Merlin.

“Why are you here?”

Judging by the way the Azure Wind was rocking, they were clearly in the middle of the ocean. They hadn’t arrived in Zieghart yet, so seeing Merlin here was unexpected.

“I finished the task you entrusted to me and came back.”

Merlin smiled as she explained that she had delivered the soul stone to Glenn.

“Your mother was really pleased. Especially proud of you.”

She mimed clapping with both hands, saying she’d heard so many compliments that her ears hurt.

“I see.”

Raon thanked Merlin and sat down on the bed.

‘What will Grandfather say?’

It had become routine to receive praise from Glenn whenever he returned from a mission. But this time, he couldn’t imagine what Glenn would say.

‘He might resent me.’

The thought that Glenn might blame him for failing to protect Rimmer and Aris made his stomach churn with nausea.

-Kghh…

Wrath’s whimper came from the Ice Flower Bracelet. It seemed he had run away inside because of Merlin.

“I heard what happened.”

Merlin let out a short sigh and covered her face with her mask. Her skin was so pale, as if it had never seen sunlight, that covering her face made the cabin feel momentarily darker.

“At first, I was going to follow the ship by borrowing a nearby animal’s body. But when I heard what happened to Rimmer, I summoned my main body immediately.”

She stepped forward and wiped the tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes.

“Do you want to save him?”

She asked softly, tilting her head.

“Can he be saved…?”

Raon stared wide-eyed at Merlin.

“If his soul remains, I can make him into a mask or helmet. But…”

Merlin shook her head, her expression tinged with sorrow.

“You wouldn’t want that. Neither would he.” (T/N: I love how she really understands Raon espescially at times like this. But Rimmerrrrrr…… 🙁 )

“Yeah. You’re right…”

Raon clenched his fists so hard his palms bled.

The truth was, he did want to see Rimmer again.

If he could just see that relaxed smile, see him slacking off one more time—he would do anything.

But just as Merlin said, reviving him in another person’s body using a mask or helmet wasn’t something Rimmer would have wanted.

Especially after what he’d gone through with Sia and Edgar, he couldn’t allow that to happen.

“Right?”

Merlin nodded as if she’d expected it.

“Then all you can do now is endure it and cry. I had no one to cry with, but you have people. Crying isn’t a bad thing. It just means you’re honest with your feelings.”

She gave a forlorn smile, like someone who had gone through the same pain.

‘No, she probably has.’

Remembering that Lokta had called Merlin a princess, it was clear she had also experienced the deaths of loved ones.

“Neither I nor Lokta had a good death. That’s why I wanted to call him back and revive others…”

Merlin shook her head, eyes clouded with emptiness.

“I regret all of it now. Though I’m happy I met you.”

She wiggled her fingers, saying she’d tell him her story if he was curious.

“Hmm…”

He was curious, but from the look on Merlin’s face, this wasn’t something light to hear.

Even with just Rimmer’s death, his emotions were in turmoil. He didn’t think he could focus on her story right now.

“I’ll hear it later. I promise.”

“Alright. Then you should at least open up to me about your story. You’ll feel better.”

Merlin sat down on the floor of the cabin as she spoke.

-Mmm…

Wrath cautiously peeked his head out from the bracelet.

-The crazy woman may be annoying, but she’s right. You’ll feel better if you open up.

Wrath flailed his arms, saying Raon could talk to him instead.

-Tsk, I may not be a proper friend, but as your vessel, I’ll at least listen!

“Here.”

-Here!

Merlin and Wrath each spread their arms, urging him to open up to them.

“Ugh…”

Raon let out a hollow chuckle and shook his head.

“I’ll tell you when my thoughts are more sorted out. I honestly don’t know where to begin right now.”

Seeing the two of them made him laugh even when he didn’t feel like it. Somehow, both had become comforting presences to him.

“Alright. Just do it when you’re ready.”

Merlin said she’d wait, raising her fist.

-I, too, am always ready!

Wrath shouted to speak day or night and glared at Merlin. He looked scared but also seemed to be feeling competitive.

“Aris—I mean, Aunt—is she awake?”

“Aunt? I don’t know.”

Merlin shook her head, saying she had no idea.

“Huh? Didn’t you hear everything from someone else?”

“I eavesdropped. But I was in animal form, so I summoned my main body here right after.”

She smiled, saying no one should know she was here.

-See! That’s why she’s a crazy woman! She could announce herself now, but sneaking around is just part of her routine!

Wrath shuddered, saying that’s exactly why she’s scary.

‘Hmm…’

He couldn’t deny that.

But hearing what Merlin said reminded him of someone—no, one Demon King.

“Where’s Lust?”

Raon narrowed his eyes and looked around. Though he wasn’t fully himself right now, he couldn’t sense Lust’s presence anywhere.

“That damn directionless woman…”

Merlin ground her teeth in frustration. Judging from her words, the answer was obvious.

“She said she was going to return to you after giving the soul stone to your grandfather. She claimed she finally remembered the way and took off on her own, but now she’s vanished!”

“You didn’t stop her?”

“I tried! But she said she remembered the route and flew off by herself!”

She scoffed, saying Lust was full of confidence despite having no sense of direction.

-Did I not tell you?

Wrath nodded solemnly.

-She’s a stalker, a directionless one at that, and she thinks she’s smart!

He shook his head, saying her bizarre traits overlapped in the worst ways.

-She’s never any help!

“You’re only getting in the way!”

Merlin and Wrath cursed her in unison, as if they shared a mutual understanding.

“Well, with Lust’s skills, she won’t be in any real danger.”

Since no one even knew of Lust’s existence, there wasn’t much reason to worry.

“Haa…”

Raon slowly stood up. He was about to head out of the cabin but paused to retrieve the Soul Requiem Sword from the table.

He couldn’t leave it behind—Rimmer’s soul might still remain within it.

“Going out?”

“I want to check on my aunt.”

Even if Aris was alive, it wouldn’t be much of a life.

Though she normally displayed more composure than Glenn, she had crumbled more than anyone before Sif. That made him all the more concerned.

Raon was just about to step out of the cabin with the Soul Requiem Sword in hand when it happened.

[You have slain two Transcendents.]

[You have killed a Celestial for the first time in a thousand years.]

[You have achieved an impossible feat.]

[All stats have….]

[A new trait….]

[A new title….]

He dismissed the messages without reading them.

-Gasp! This damned system… Hm?

Wrath started cursing the system but stopped mid-sentence and smacked his lips as he looked at Raon.

-You’re not reading it?

‘I don’t want to right now.’

-I see…

Wrath placed a hand on Raon’s shoulder as if he understood.

‘I’ll read it later when I can make fun of you with it.’

-Hey!

Raon ignored Wrath’s outburst and stepped out of the cabin. Since it was nighttime, only a few sailors were on deck.

He was about to head to the infirmary where Aris was when Dorian, who had been standing at the far end of the deck, approached.

“You’re awake?”

Dorian bowed his head and asked if Raon was feeling okay.

“Has my aunt woken up?”

Raon looked directly at Dorian and asked about Aris’s condition.

“I just came from the infirmary a little while ago, but she still hasn’t woken up.”

Dorian shook his head, saying that Rabawin was standing watch by Aris’s side.

“I see…”

Raon nodded. Honestly, part of him felt it was better that Aris hadn’t awakened yet.

He still didn’t know what to say to her or how to face her.

“What about the others?”

“Given everything that happened, they all passed out from exhaustion.”

Dorian said the Azure Wind crew was keeping watch instead and gave an awkward laugh.

“And you?”

Raon narrowed his eyes at Dorian. This guy was probably the most exhausted, yet he was clearly pushing through it. That made it all the more pitiful.

“I’m alright. I couldn’t sleep even if I lay down.”

Dorian scratched his head, saying that was why he was on watch.

“You’re still carrying it, huh.”

Raon rested his arms on the railing and looked out at the softly rippling night sea.

“Well, of course. I keep thinking about Master.”

If he didn’t force himself to look away, he would keep seeing Rimmer’s face smiling even with a black sword piercing through his chest. It was maddening.

If he felt this bad, then Dorian, who had witnessed everything from the very beginning, would never forget it for the rest of his life.

“Yeah…”

Dorian nodded.

“I keep seeing that moment in my dreams. I keep thinking, what if I had thrown myself in his place…”

“It’s meaningless.”

Raon shook his head firmly.

“Even a Grandmaster couldn’t intervene in that fight. You did everything you could.”

“No… I don’t deserve to hear that…”

Dorian buried his head in the railing and started to cry.

That crybaby had been bottling it up all this time, blaming himself, and now the dam finally burst.

“Hnnngh…”

“It’s okay. He never blamed anyone.”

Raon patted Dorian’s head, recalling Rimmer’s smile in his final moments—just as his master had once done for him.

Whoooosh.

A pure, ocean-like breeze passed briefly over the Azure Wind’s bow, as if trying to comfort the two of them.

—

When the Azure Wind arrived at the northern port closest to Zieghart—

“We’ll come with you.”

Rabawin loaded the unconscious Aris and Rimmer into two separate carriages and bowed.

“Honestly, I don’t think we can go back to being pirates anymore.”

He explained that most of the Azure Wind’s crew had originally been Zieghart swordsmen, and the rest had participated in the war, so there should be no issue returning together. He asked Raon for permission.

“Alright.”

Raon nodded and mounted his horse, heading toward Zieghart.

There were no smiles or idle chatter like when they had returned from the dungeon on the Azure Wind.

Neither the Light Wind Division, nor Rabawin, nor the Azure Wind’s crew said a word. They walked in silence, each quietly preparing their goodbyes in their hearts.

At the end of the short journey, the snow-covered walls of Zieghart came into view for everyone.

“…….”

Raon bit his lip as he stared at Zieghart’s walls.

The gray walls that had always felt so welcoming now looked impossibly tall and heavy.

It felt like they were pressing down on his soul.

The news of Rimmer’s death had surely already reached them, but not knowing how those inside would react made his hands tremble with fear.

When he turned around, the other swordsmen were also staring at the wall with eyes full of anxiety and dread.

He was more afraid and worried than anyone, but he couldn’t just stand there and stare at the wall forever. He needed to let Rimmer rest as soon as possible.

“Let’s go.”

Raon let out a small breath and headed for Zieghart’s main gate.

Normally, they would check his identity before opening the gate, but today, the moment they saw his face, the gate opened and Chief Inspector Illyune and several swordsmen stepped outside.

Chiiing!

They wore black uniforms and raised their swords vertically in front of their chests, performing Zieghart’s sword salute.

“…….”

Raon clenched his jaw and guided the carriage toward the main road.

On both sides of the road, Zieghart swordsmen had lined up, each offering the same solemn and respectful sword salute.

It was the swordsmen’s tribute to one who had died in battle for Zieghart.

“Hnnngh…”

“Vice Leader.”

“Why did it have to be him!”

Behind him, the sounds of the Light Wind swordsmen quietly weeping could be heard. But he was the division leader. He suppressed his emotions and continued walking toward the main building.

Kyaaaah!

The Iron Sword Division, Public Sword Division, War Sword Division, as well as the Armored War Division, Black Tortoise Division, and True Martial Palace—all came out and performed a sword salute for Rimmer.

Even those who normally bickered and clashed with him offered their respects without a hint of resistance. That made Raon’s chest ache even more.

As the two carriages carrying Rimmer and Aris stopped in front of the main building, Sylvia, Edgar, The Gambling Monster, and Federick came into view.

Even Glenn and Roenn, who were always waiting inside the audience chamber, were now standing before the residence, waiting.

Grief and sorrow were written across every face.

Seeing his father, mother, and grandfather made his chest feel like it was burning. His nose tingled like tears would fall at any moment.

Thud.

Raon dismounted with trembling legs.

He was afraid. He didn’t want to go forward.

It wasn’t fear of being blamed for Rimmer’s death—it was the fear that standing before them would make Rimmer’s death feel real.

Raon exhaled deeply and forced his heavy legs forward.

“Family Head.”

To hold himself together to the very end. To endure even if he was blamed. He stood in front of Glenn with every muscle tensed.

“I’m sorry. I made the wrong decision… it’s all my fault…”

He started to kneel and bow his head before Glenn—but Glenn caught him and pulled him into an embrace.

“You did well. And…”

Glenn tightened his arms around him, his voice cracking like he was chewing on bone.

“I’m sorry.”

Raon clutched Glenn’s robes with both hands and finally let the tears he had been holding back fall.

(T/N: Shit….. This chapter broke me.)