The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 729 The leaders of the Six Kings concluded their interim meeting, pledging to reveal Derus Robert's true identity at the Six Kings Conference to be held in a week. [Well, it should go smoothly, right?] The Mage Tower Master's eyes darted back and forth, seemingly worried. [If it doesn't, we'll make it work! Don't you understand the spirit of a magician?] Chamber glared at the Mage Tower Master, furrowing her brow. [Ah, my head's spinning from shouting suddenly.] Chamber, claiming to be low on sugar, pulled out a new lollipop and put it in her mouth. [With the conference at the Union, I have a lot to do.] Ogram, though feeling burdened, rolled his shoulders, ready to exert his influence. [I will also do my best to cooperate.] King Lecross nodded, leaning away from his throne. [Do I, too, have to go…?] The Mage Tower Master slowly raised her gaze, looking like a turtle. [If you don't show up this time, I'll burn down your laboratory. No, your entire Mage Tower.] Chamber twisted her lips upward, as if to say she was serious. "Eek..." The Mage Tower Master mumbled that she'd come, her shoulders trembling. "Then we'll see each other at the conference." Glenn waved his hand, as if to conclude the meeting. "Right!" The Mage Tower Master waved her hand faster than anyone else and cut off the magical projection. [She's such a shut-in. She's damn quick when it comes to disappearing. If she doesn't show up this time, I really will go destroy that magic tower.] Chamber snorted and disappeared from the screen. [I'll be waiting.] [I'll see you soon.] Ogram and King Lecross also ended their projections after brief farewells. Raon bowed to the departing Six Kings leaders before turning around. "..." Glenn remained standing before the throne, his eyes calm despite the meeting's end. "Head of House." Raon approached Glenn and knelt before him. "I'm truly grateful that you trust me. But..." He bit his lip as he raised his gaze. "How could you stake your life! Why would you do such a thing?" For the first time, Raon raised his voice at Glenn. Having fabricated a few lies to catch Derus, hearing that Glenn had staked his life made his heart sink. He couldn't contain himself, unable to understand the current situation. "It's the same as you." Glenn nodded with a serene expression, as if that was all there was to it. "Um..." Raon swallowed hard as he looked into Glenn's calm eyes. 'What does he mean by the same as me?' -Every time I hear him, that old geezer has a knack for speaking in riddles! Wrath also frowned, as if he didn't understand. -Let's just end this and go eat! 'Sorry, but it's Nadine bread today.' Raon shook his head without looking at Wrath. -N-Nadine bread? Are you crazy? There's so much delicious food in the world, why would you eat Nadine bread? 'The Head of House staked his life. We're severely short on time.' Now that Glenn had placed his trust in him, he had to repay that trust. There wasn't even time to eat or sleep. -Ugh, that old geezer, really! Wrath shook his round fist, as if frustrated. "Raon." As Raon was about to stand up to leave the audience chamber, Glenn raised his hand. "It's late, have dinner before you go." Glenn came down from the platform, as if suggesting they eat together. "Ah..." Raon blinked. He wanted to return immediately to train, but he couldn't refuse Glenn's words. "I'll prepare it right away." Roenn also darted out of the audience chamber before any refusal could be made, as if he wouldn't accept a rejection. -Yay! Naturally, Wrath was the one who liked this situation the most. -Grandfather is the best! The creature upgraded Glenn from old geezer to grandfather, as the dry Nadine bread had changed to a high-class course meal. Truly befitting the fickle Demon King. 'I'm really sick of this...' * * * The dinner between grandfather and grandson was quiet beyond compare. If not for the occasional sound of cutlery clinking, it wouldn't have been strange to think they were eating in a library. 'Ugh...' Raon let out an inaudible sigh as he cut into the main course meat. 'I feel like I'm going to choke.' The atmosphere was so heavy that he couldn't tell if he was chewing meat or rubber. -It's melting in my mouth! Only Wrath was grinning, hands on his cheeks as if in bliss. -As expected, a rich grandfather is the best! The creature kept calling Glenn grandfather, saying it was too delicious. 'I'm tired.' He felt even more exhausted because of Wrath. He swallowed the meat in one gulp to finish the meal quickly. -Y-You tasteless fool! 'Yeah, I'm uncultured.' Ignoring Wrath's complaints, he was waiting for dessert when Glenn put down his knife and fork and raised his gaze. "Raon." "Yes, Head of House." Raon straightened his back and looked at Glenn. "Worries without answers are poison that eats away at a martial artist's heart. From now on, if anything bothers you, don't hesitate to tell me." Glenn nodded, as if to say it didn't matter what it was. His voice gently caressed Raon's ears, unlike when they were in the audience chamber. "Ah, yes..." Raon swallowed dryly as he looked into Glenn's faded eyes. 'Could it be that he staked his life because he felt sorry that I couldn't speak Derus's name and was suffering alone?' If not for that reason, there seemed to be no reason for Glenn to say those words now. "The time of you, me, and Sylvia flowed far apart despite being close." Glenn bit his lip slightly as he looked at Raon. "It might be difficult to piece together the time that has passed, but I'd like us to walk in step from now on, even if just a little." He didn't know how much time he had left. As Sheryl and Roenn had said, it was time to muster courage. 'However...' As he tried to say such words to his grandson, whom he had never even hugged, a hot flush rose to his face from embarrassment. His mouth wouldn't move. "Ahem!" Glenn quickly averted his gaze, unable to look directly at Raon. "..." Raon trembled at his fingertips as he looked at Glenn, whose earlobes had turned as red as autumn leaves. Seeing that reaction, it seemed Glenn was speaking sincerely now. "...I'll keep that in mind." He seemed to want to get closer to Sylvia as well. Nodding, Raon made a mental note to arrange a meeting after this matter was settled. "Then you may go now." Glenn flicked his hand as if to say it was time to get up. "Rest well." Raon bowed to Glenn once more before leaving the dining room. -Hah, you dense fool. Wrath clicked his tongue as if finding Raon pathetic. 'What now?' -On a day like this, you should have called him grandfather! How could you just leave like a sardine? The creature frowned, saying Raon truly lacked human qualities. '...Is that right?' Having no family except Sylvia and the maids in both his past life and this one, it was hard to believe Wrath's words. 'Should I do it now...?' He wanted to do even something small, as he was so grateful to Glenn today. -Time that has passed doesn't come back! Wrath shook his head, saying it was already too late. 'Hmm...' -You dense fool! It seems you need to take an "Ethics and Philosophy" lecture from this king! Wrath extended his round hand, saying to offer ten boxes of mint chocolate as tuition. -Hm? Mint chocolate... Gasp! The creature suddenly stopped muttering about mint chocolate and whipped his head back. -We haven't had dessert yet! Go back right now! Wrath grabbed Raon's collar and shook him, as if he just realized they had left without having dessert. 'Sorry, but...' Raon shrugged his shoulders and detached Wrath. 'Time that has passed doesn't come back.' -Waaah! * * * [...So that's how it was decided to hold the meeting at the Beast Union headquarters in a week. You'll be able to attend, right?] "Of course." Derus Robert displayed a calm smile towards Chamber, who was reflected in the blue window. [Then I'll see you then.] Chamber waved the hand holding her lollipop and closed the projection, departing. "..." Derus didn't leave his office even after the magical communication ended. He enjoyed the fading sunlight by the window before disappearing into gray smoke. The place where Derus Robert reappeared was Lushain Mountain, which rose to the west of House Robert. He entered a hole hidden behind a rock with familiar steps. As he descended the stairs darker than a moonless night, assassins standing guard bowed their heads towards him. Derus ignored the assassins as if they didn't exist and set foot in the underground cavern. After adjusting his clothes, he walked towards the center of the cavern. At the center of the bizarre space where red bricks were formed from dried blood, a man wearing a blue dragon helmet sat on a rock with his upper body bare. "I greet you, Lord Derus." Derus carefully approached and knelt before the man wearing the blue dragon helmet. "Bardiel. Your presence here means..." The real Derus Robert flicked his fingertips towards Bardiel. "The Six Kings Conference has been decided, I presume?" He smiled faintly, as if he had anticipated the entire situation. "Yes. The meeting will be held at the Beast Union in a week." Bardiel raised his head and relayed all the information he had heard from Chamber. "Any contact from him?" Derus gestured with his chin as he received his shirt from Kubara. "Not yet." "I see." He smiled softly, as if he had expected as much. "Are you feeling better?" "There was never a problem with my body to begin with." Derus shook his head calmly. "What Glenn Zieghart cut was not my flesh, but my soul." "Hmm, then..." "No need to worry. I've recovered most of it. Rather, I've gained something." He rolled his eyes, which had a frosty light, while placing a hand on his chest. "Then you'll be attending the conference in person, I assume." Bardiel asked, unable to meet Derus's eyes and lowering his gaze. "As I said, even if you take on that appearance, you can't escape the gaze of those old Six Kings." Derus smiled as he stroked Bardiel's cheek, where his own face was reflected, with the back of his hand. "It's not a matter of appearance or temperament, but because your power is too weak for them not to notice." He waved his hand, saying it couldn't be helped. "Lord Derus. You must consider the possibility that this conference is a trap." Bardiel clasped his hands together, saying they should be careful. "I know. The one-week timeframe and the fact that it's being held at the Beast Union itself is too natural to not be suspicious." Derus nodded, indicating he had already considered this. "It's obvious what those old men are aiming for." He chuckled as he took off his black gloves. On the back of his hand was now a cross-shaped scar, no longer a single line. "They'll surely use every means to reveal this scar." Having seen that the scar on the back of his hand didn't disappear even when using ultra-regeneration during the war, revealing this stigma must be their plan. 'But I don't understand.' Raon Zieghart. He couldn't figure out what that guy's true identity was. Not only did he block his surprise attack, but he also inflicted a wound that couldn't be healed even with ultra-regeneration. Beyond the Raon of the past life, he became curious about the guy's true identity. ‘Did heaven, no, hell send him to stop me?’ Derus muttered that it was truly absurd as he sneered. "Then I'll take my leave." Bardiel took a deep breath and placed his hand on the back of his head. A gray, clay-like mass flowed down from his entire body, and the face of Derus changed into a young man with a cold expression. Bardiel held out the gray clay mass that rippled as if alive to Derus. This liquid was the ancient artifact <Doppelganger Hide>. "You've done well." Derus Robert took the Doppelganger Hide and placed it on the back of his scarred hand. With a hiss, the Doppelganger Hide evaporated with white smoke, and the two lines of scars on the back of his hand were erased as if washed away. It seemed as if the sunken skin itself had been revived. "Even Glenn Zieghart wouldn't be able to notice this." Derus curled up the corners of his mouth as he caressed the back of his hand. The Doppelganger Hide is a special artifact that ignores even aura, magic, and spells. Covering only the back of his hand, not his entire body, even the leaders of the Six Kings would never be able to find it. If they were to draw out the death aura, his identity would be revealed regardless of this scar, but since he would seal it in advance, it was even more impossible. "I'd rather they suspect me." He licked his lips, hoping this conference would be a trap, as he could gain much from the old Six Kings if they suspected him first and nothing came of it. "Even so, you must be cautious." Kubara, who had been waiting in a maid's uniform, bowed her head. "Of course." Derus nodded lightly. "That's why I'm taking Lephon with me this time as well." He repeated Lephon's name in a voice devoid of even the slightest warmth. "You two prepare for the aftermath as well." "Yes." "Understood." Bardiel and Kubara bowed their heads and disappeared from the cavern. "Beorn." Derus gestured with his chin towards the right as he took off the blue dragon helmet. "There must be someone you want to see. Will you come along?" "I have no such thoughts." Beorn shook his head with his hands behind his back and melted into the darkness. "How dull." Derus chuckled and threw the blue dragon helmet into the air. With a thud, a sound like metal crumpling echoed from the bottom of the underground as the helmet fell to the ground. "The Six Kings Conference..." Derus curled up the corners of his mouth as he leaned against the wall of the cavern where children's blood had dried. "The remaining week will be boring." * * * Raon opened his eyes to the sound of birds chirping, waking the dawn. A colorless blade was burning in his grasp. -You finally completed it... Wrath frowned as if dumbfounded. -It's not bad, but the power you've created isn't that strong. It won't work on many people. The creature waved his hand, saying it might be in vain. 'It doesn't matter if it doesn't work on everyone.' Raon nodded with a calm expression. 'It's enough if it works on just one guy.' Raon calmly took a breath and sank the newly honed Blade of Death into his chest. Although it was a power that burdened both body and soul, he could endure it as much as needed to reveal Derus's true identity. 'Derus Robert.' Raon clenched his fist until it bled as he looked at the sun rising warmly, as if announcing the start of the Six Kings Conference. 'Today, I'll tear off your mask in front of everyone.'