The Reincarnated Assassin is a Swordsmaster

Chapter 5

As Glenn snapped his fingers, the mana inside the drawing room stirred.

With a grinding sound, the previously calm flow of mana now surged with rapid intensity, and a massive steel door emerged from the floor.

Fwoom!

The grand steel door, which almost touched the ceiling, was burning in golden flames.

“Y-your Grace?”

Loen opened his eyes wide. That door led to the treasury of House Sieghart, a place only the head of the house could access. Glenn hadn’t summoned that door in ten years.

“I’ll be right back.”

As he extended his hand, the golden steel door opened smoothly as if it were brushed with oil.

He briefly turned around and checked the golden flames that covered the stone sword once again, then walked into the treasury.

There were numerous treasures piled up inside.

Top-tier elixirs and weapons, jewels that could buy a palace, and many kinds of books... Each one of them could cause a bloodbath if loosed on the continent.

However, Glenn didn’t pay any attention to the flashy weapons and jewels, but rather to the neatly piled-up elixirs.

Then he walked straight inside and headed to the vast cylindrical bookshelf standing in the deepest part of the treasury.

It reached up to the top end of the room like a tree, and various colored books were stored in each section.

As he lightly kicked the ground, his body floated up, defying gravity. He walked on air and directed himself toward the first section of the bookshelf.

Unlike the others, there were just two books in this section.

He tried to pull out an old, yellow book standing in front of him. However, the book didn’t budge, as if it were held down beneath a rock.

“It doesn’t move, just as I thought.” Glenn tsked and pulled out the crimson book instead.

The second book came free smoothly, unlike the first, and it was stored neatly.

Glenn started quickly flipping through the book. His fingers abruptly stopped in the middle.

“Hm...”

He frowned as he read the book.

“The aura of the founder of House Sieghart was golden in color, resembling the sun, and it demonstrated a transcendental intensity that even extinguished the flames of the demon world.”

Glenn gently closed his eyes and thought of the golden flame course that Raon had created.

“Golden mana, golden flame course.”

Yellow aura was pretty common, but deep golden-colored mana had only made an appearance once in the family’s history.

“Raon. You are...”

***

“Mommy’s sorry.”

Sylvia clasped onto Raon as soon as they returned. It was difficult to even breathe, her grip was so strong.

“It’s okay.”

Raon patted her shoulders after seeing her back shivering.

I’m not quite sure yet.

He had blocked his emotions and shoved them to the side in his past life.

He had killed, abducted, and stolen if he was ordered to. Dog and trainer: it was merely a dominant and submissive relationship.

But things were different now.

Sylvia, Helen, and the handmaidens had only ever given to him without expecting anything in return.

As it was the first life where he had received such compassion, he couldn’t quite put into words the exact feeling that was tugging at his chest.

Still, he knew one thing for certain.

He hoped Sylvia and the handmaidens wouldn’t shed tears. While he knew they couldn’t be happy all the time, he hoped they weren’t burdened by sadness.

I wouldn’t have felt anything if they all just looked down on me.

However, the people in the main building looked down on Sylvia.

The branch families below the podium snickered out loud while the main family members made repulsed faces as if they were looking at an insect.

I must teach them a lesson.

He was determined to teach everyone who made fun of Sylvia a lesson. The immature behavior they’d shown today would come back to haunt them.

***

In the afternoon, with the warm sun shining down, there was one boy sitting on the field in the garden.

The boy with deep blonde hair flowing in the breeze had a perfectly harmonious face, although he looked young.

The only slight flaw was that his face was pale, as if he weren’t in the best of health.

“Haa...”

The boy, who was sitting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

The Flame Link is about to form three rings.

Raon, who had grown from a child into a boy, smiled faintly.

Has it already been seven years?

He had already turned twelve, and the first Discernment Ceremony had taken place seven years ago.

Due to his consistent practice over the years, the Flame Link was now close to forming three rings, having previously had only two.

It’s a pity.

If the cold energy hadn’t spread throughout his body, he would have reached three stars a long time ago. However, his progress was being delayed due to his need for constant practice to counter the cold energy’s effects.

Still, he had earned something.

Status Window.

He repeated the term that he had now gotten used to.

[<Status Window>

Name : Raon Sieghart

Title : None.

Status : Curse of Bitter Frost (nine strands), poor health, low athletic abilities, low mana affinity.

Talent: ???, Flame Link (2-star), Water-element resistance (2-star)

*Additional abilities have not been unlocked.]

His water-element resistance had reached two stars, and the symptom where his hands and feet would freeze had disappeared as the cold energy throughout his body dissipated.

Although moving his body was still difficult, he knew that it would naturally improve as he made more progress on the Flame Link.

“Hmm.”

Raon closed the window and stood up from the field.

I better start training my body now...

Since he didn’t feel cold as easily as before, Sylvia and the handmaidens were less concerned. However, when he tried to move his body a little, they chased after him and stopped him.

As physical strength was also necessary to increase the achievement of the Flame Link, he had to find a way to train his body.

Is there any way to train without being interrupted?

He could force himself to train, but strangely, it was difficult to disobey Sylvia. Although it wasn’t an order, he felt compelled to obey her wishes.

“Sir!”

While he was contemplating, Helen ran out from the annex.

“What are you still doing there? We need to attend the Discernment Ceremony. You really are your mother’s son.”

“Oh, right.”

Everyone, except for those on a mission or out of town, was required to participate.

“I’ll have to see those annoying bastards again.”

When I’d returned to the ceremony a second time a few years ago, I was openly ridiculed just like before.

They’d probably blabber words like “runaway” and “straggler” again this time.

“S-sir! You shouldn’t say such things out loud...” Helen looked around, holding a finger to her mouth.

“Because other people could hear me?”

“There’s always someone watching and listening in this family.”

“I think you worry too much, but okay.”

Raon tsked and walked into the annex. Sylvia, who was dressed in her robe, was waiting inside.

“Would you like to rest in your room? I can go alone,” Sylvia said, patting his head. She had developed a few wrinkles around her eyes.

“It’s okay.”

Raon shook his head and walked into the room.

Because I need to see how the people who laughed at us have grown up.

Keeping track of changes to the target was a top priority for assassins.

And so, Raon decided to attend the Discernment Ceremony with a positive attitude.

***

Raon stepped into the drawing room where the Discernment Ceremony was held with Sylvia and Helen.

“He’s still short.”

“He’s as thin as a rake. If it weren’t for this blonde hair and crimson eyes, he wouldn’t even look like he’s a part of this family.”

“The only thing that fits the name Sieghart is his looks.”

“Well, he’s too pale.”

It was as expected. The main family members, who acted like they didn’t care, and the branch families, who made sarcastic remarks, were still the same.

I’m glad.

They were still making fun of him and Sylvia. He was rather pleased that their attitude hadn’t changed.

Joanna, Henry, Denier...

Raon internally repeated the names of the main and branch family members, looking around from the top to bottom of the podium.

After about thirty minutes of waiting at the very back seat below the podium, Glenn Sieghart entered.

He went up the podium with an even more overwhelming presence than he’d displayed seven years ago and proceeded with the ceremony.

It ended before even three hours had passed. There were no main family members, so only the children from branch and vassal families participated.

The mana purity was high for the branch families, and Raon could hear sarcastic comments from time to time, but he ignored them.

“Today’s Discernment Ceremony has concluded. I hope you have a—”

“Wait.” Glenn interrupted the narrator, raising his hand. “Raon Sieghart.”

The eyes of the absolute being who oversaw the world, sitting on the throne, directed their attention at Raon.

The entire place suddenly fell silent, and everyone else’s attention also became focused on him.

Me?

Raon swallowed hard. He was startled. He hadn’t expected his name to be called.

“Y-your Grace?”

“Hmm...”

Sylvia’s eyes quivered with nerves. Helen held her hand tight from the side.

“You must have received the letter ordering you to participate in basic training. Why haven’t you responded for over one month?”

Basic training?

Raon had no idea what he was talking about. When he looked to the side, Sylvia was biting her lip. It seemed as if she was already aware of it.

“Y-your Grace, Raon’s different from other kids. He’s still suffering from the cold energy...”

“There are no exceptions or rejections for Siegharts.”

“He even struggles to walk properly. He won’t be able to handle the training,” Sylvia said, shaking her head firmly.

“If you can’t walk, crawl instead to receive the training. That is the Sieghart way.”

Glenn closed his eyes, resting his head on his right hand.

“Th-that’s not acceptable. No, please give him more time at least...”

“Would you leave the house again if it’s not acceptable? With that boy?”

“W-well...”

He could feel Sylvia’s right hand, which was holding his, becoming slick with sweat.

“In this land, he must live as a Sieghart. If you have a problem with that, leave.”

Glenn’s voice was as cold as if he were talking to a total stranger.

“What if she runs away again?”

“That’d be fun to watch, but she doesn’t even have more elixir fields or mana circuits to break anymore.”

“A woman like that is really a main family member... Tsk, tsk.”

Raon calmed his anger, looking around at everyone in the room, including Sylvia and Glenn.

I get it now.

He finally understood the reason Sylvia was being treated so poorly even though she was a main family member. The reason she was being looked down upon by both the main and branch families.

She left the house.

There were signs that she had learned martial arts, but she didn’t have aura. That meant she had either shut down the elixir field or didn’t cultivate aura. So it was the former, as expected.

It was clear that she had left the family and married his father after ruining her elixir field and mana circuit.

She probably had no choice but to return after my father died while she was pregnant.

It was understandable.

It made sense for her to be treated lower than the branch families since she rejected being part of the main Sieghart family and returned.

However...

That was the outsiders’ perspective and their problem. As her son, Raon couldn’t tolerate the treatment she was receiving.

He took a step forward, releasing Sylvia and Helen’s hands.

“S-sir!”

“Raon. Mommy will take care of it...”

“It’s okay.”

He shook his head at them, then stood right in front of Glenn.

“Your Grace, I will begin the training starting next month.”

He dropped his head while facing Glenn’s eyes, which seemed to indicate he was looking at a bug rather than his grandson.

“But you weren’t even aware of the training, were you?”

Denier Sieghart, Glenn’s third son as well as Raon’s uncle, was the one who spoke. He was the only person among the main family members who seemed to feel bad for him.

“That’s correct.”

“The intensity of even basic training is not something you can handle in your condition. Do not force yourself.”

“I’m fine.”

Raon looked at Glenn instead of Denier.

“I’d better pull my weight as one of the Siegharts. I’ll participate in the training.”

People’s eyes suddenly stirred in surprise at his firm voice, which didn’t sound like that of a child.

It was as if they were recognizing him as a small pebble, but that was enough for now.

He had a history of climbing up from being the lowly hunting dog at the bottom to the best assassin.

Currently, he was learning the continent’s legendary skill, the Flame Link.

If he could utilize all of those abilities, making a name for himself in this family wouldn’t be so impossible.

Would this delay his revenge? No. This could actually be a faster way.

Raon clenched his small fists tightly.

I’ll show you just how formidable the pebble you have looked down upon can become.