Episode 23. The Problematic Assassin (4)
Grokal had a trick to distinguish the real Tina. Even if you can change your appearance at will, there are some things that don’t change.
‘Skill.’
You only have to cross swords a few times to know your opponent’s true skill. Skill doesn’t lie.
‘Who should I start with?’
Two people who look exactly alike. We’ll soon find out which one is Master Rubin and which one is that damn Tina.
Just as Grokal’s sword was about to strike, a low, majestic voice stopped him.
“What are you doing now?”
It was Rubin. No, maybe it was Tina. I had no idea. I guess we won’t know the answer until we cross swords.
So, we have to fight first. The one with the best skills will be Tina, and the one with the worst skills will be Master Rubin. It’ll be easy.
‘If only I could cross swords with you… …!’
“I asked what you were doing now. Instigating the massacre.”
But there was a certain power in the voice that stopped him. A heavy power that made it seem like he should never attack, an intimidating feeling that could only be felt from those of the Roinen bloodline.
“Are you trying to cut me down now?”
“…I’m sorry, Young Master. This is the only way.”
The members of the assassination squad are raised in a special environment from birth. They train their entire lives under the shadow of the assassin swordsman Roinen. In their bones, there is an instinct that cannot be replaced by anything.
‘Absolute obedience to the assassin Roinen.’
Eventually, Grokal froze in place. He knew in his head that he had to attack, but his body would not listen. The majesty of the Roinen bloodline had stirred his instincts.
“…We don’t know which one is the real Master Rubin. I have to follow the mission.”
“Who gave that mission?”
“You are the head of the family.”
“Gajoo? At the order of the Gajoo, you will kill me, who may one day become the Gajoo?”
“I don’t mean to belittle you… … .”
Grokal was conflicted. It was the first time in his life that he hesitated in front of a target. It was an overwhelming authority that did not seem like that of a nine-year-old.
Is that kid Lord Rubin? Or is it an act?
So who is the real Master Rubin?
‘I have to concentrate.’
My senses gradually returned. Eventually, I had to overcome this pressure on my own.
Grokal is the head of the main family’s assassination squad. No matter what happens, the target must be eliminated. For the sake of the family, for the Roinen family. Even if it means the emperor.
“I’m sorry, Master Rubin.”
Finally, Grokal swung his sword.
Grokal’s first choice was to keep his mouth shut. The attack ended after three rounds. Rubin grabbed the thigh that was spurting blood.
“Ugh.”
‘This way three times.’
This time it was Rubin’s turn to radiate intimidation. He immediately swung his sword.
visor!
The momentum of the counterattack was formidable.
Even though we only competed for 1 round, the feeling itself is different.
‘This is Tina!’
The attacks continued three times. Four, five, six times. This could not possibly be a coincidence.
‘I’m sure. This guy is Tina!’
Grokal’s momentum began to fill him with a murderous spirit. He was certain. No matter how much of a Roinen bloodline he was, a nine-year-old boy could not block the sword of the assassination master with all his might six times.
“Put the pressure down!”
He just raised his arm high and was about to strike down.
“… … ?!”
Suddenly, Rubin released his defensive stance. Grokal had no choice but to stop attacking in an awkward position due to the unexpected reaction.
What on earth is this plan!
The target opened his mouth.
“Are you sure?”
“what?”
“Your confidence that I am not Rubin. Are you sure?”
“Stop talking nonsense!”
“You took three hits. I took six. Do you think it was Tina because I took more hits from you?”
“… … !”
“How pathetic.”
And then he even threw the sword on the ground.
Chaenggrang.
“Then let’s give it a try. See if you can cut me. I’ll watch you closely with my own two eyes.”
“… … !”
That was it. The audacity of the assassination attempt.
Chaenggrang.
Grokal had no choice but to drop his sword.
It’s not that he didn’t have the confidence to tell the difference between the real and the fake, but rather that he couldn’t overcome the pressure of possibly beating the next head of the household.
“… … .”
“Your loyalty has been well-seen, Grokal Lang.”
Rubin reached out his hand to Grokal, who was standing there in despair.
The small palm of a nine-year-old child. How great was the majesty of the Roinen bloodline contained there? I could not fathom it.
“Grocal. Take the two of us to the lord. I will take care of the rest.”
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It didn’t matter anymore whether the kid in front of him was Tina or Rubin. Before Grokal became a slaughterhouse that eliminated problematic assassins, he was a loyalist of the Roinen family, designed to the bone.
Grokal answered as his instincts dictated.
“… I understand, Your Majesty.”
* * *
“… That’s all.”
After speaking, Grokal swallowed without realizing it. His gaze, which had been fixed on the ground, slightly rose upward.
Siren, who remained silent throughout the report.
As he was trying to gauge the reaction of such a person, he met the eyes of Siren who was staring at his face and was startled.
“That’s what happened.”
Grokal felt the tremendous darkness that had been weighing on him dissipate in an instant.
If it was this dark, what realm could it be? The last realm he knew of as a Siren was the 7th star, but he thought that it might have reached beyond that.
“You wouldn’t lie, even confessing the dishonor of falling for Tina’s trap.”
“I have no face.”
“I’ll stop here. No matter what the process was, you’ve been brought before me.”
Siren said, resting her chin on her hand.
“Grocal, now take a rest.”
But Grokal didn’t leave right away.
“My lord. What are you going to do with Tina… … .”
“We’ll have to wait and see if Rubin can really convince me.”
Grokal nodded, unable to say anything else.
“Then I will step aside.”
Grokal lowered his head and put back on the mask he had taken off. He opened the door and went out.
In the hallway, Siren’s next visitors were waiting: Rubin and Tina.
“Grocal.”
Rubin showed an innocent smile. The moment when he confronted Rubin came back to Grokal’s mind clearly.
‘A son who is not oppressed by his father’s authority.’
Any act of obstructing the assassination squad is tantamount to defying the orders of the Siren. And this alone is grounds for death for the assassin swordsman Roinen.
But Rubin did it. Whether it was reckless or bold, Siren will decide.
“I did not report to you that you blocked my attack. I thought you might not want me to.”
“That’s fortunate. My swordsmanship is still lacking.”
“… … .”
It was Rubin who showed generosity until the end. Grokal thought that this might be the reason why Siren trusted her youngest son.
“Then I will go now.”
“See you again. Grokal Lang.”
Rubin watched the back of the walking assassin.
‘Grocal Lang. It’s definitely a 5 star level or higher.’
It was a short sword fight, but it was enough to feel the difference between himself and the assassin. If they had clashed swords just a little longer, his true colors would have been revealed.
I need to get stronger quickly.
Of course, that wasn’t the problem right now.
Squeak.
Rubin opened the door and entered the room.
Siren’s office was large enough to take up a significant portion of the mansion. It was large enough to echo her voice, and the ceiling was high. It was comparable to the Twilight Hall in the center of the mansion.
‘It’s been a while.’
Suddenly, I remembered the time when I fought my mother’s last battle. It was right here, before I returned, when I fought until the moment of my death, bleeding to death.
Rubin raised his head.
In the middle of the office, the head of the household, Siren Roinen, sat upright. Rubin greeted him politely.
“I meet you, my lord.”
“You didn’t come to me to say that you enjoyed your tour of the tower. What else do you have to say?”
Those deep and earnest eyes. The master of the Assassin Swordsmanship was glaring at him with eyes like a beast, but Rubin was not discouraged.
“Tina Kiruha, I have something to tell you about the Hwanhyeol clan, my lord.”
“I heard the general story from the assassination squad leader. He said he wanted to save the child, right? How dare he say that.”
That moment.
Rubin felt the Siren’s darkness surrounding him. It wrapped around his entire body like a giant snake, and soon it was pressing down with enough force to break his bones.
‘Like the vast sea, with endless depth.’
As a baby, Rubin had personally experienced the overwhelming power of his mother through ‘100 Days of Cradle’. Once again, he was left breathless by the great darkness he was faced with.
“Answer me, Rubin.”
Even though she is my child, I can’t expect her to be gentle.
Feeling his life threatened, Rubin almost let out his first veil of darkness, an instinctive defensive response.
He concentrated his mind to avoid making that mistake. And then he met Siren’s cold eyes again.
“Tina is too talented to be killed like this.”
“A child who ran away because he couldn’t complete the assassination mission. That’s enough reason to die.”
“But Tina’s abilities are a reason for her not to die. She can be used for our family.”
Rubin overcame the pressure and poured his will into every word.
He knew that imposing his will on Siren in the Assassination Sword School could lead to death, even if it was his son.
But I had to convince her anyway. Only by saving Tina could I get one step closer to the Emperor.
“Are you talking about the transformation ability of the Hwanhyeol tribe? Even so, it is nothing more than a minor skill. We at Roinen do not need assassins who cannot kill their targets.”
But Rubin remembered.
Before the regression, the person who regretted Tina’s death the most was her mother. It was clear that even now, she would doubt whether it was right to kill Tina.
Green Rubin just needs to provide an excuse.
“I know where to put Tina’s shape-shifting powers to use.”
Rubin’s eyes, which had stopped talking, turned somewhere.
It was a corner of the ceiling. There was a long, thick window there, and in the shadows there appeared two red eyes.
“Are you talking about Roynecro?”
Siren’s Roinecrow let out a growl and flew towards Siren.
Grrr.
There was no need to call the name, because the master and the crow were secretly connected.
‘My mother’s Roinecrow. Her name was Roho.’
With that thought, Rubin continued speaking.
“I heard that Sir Gilfield is raising Roinecro for assassins in his arboretum.”
“Go on.”
“But I heard there’s been a problem there recently.”
The arboretum supplies Roinecro to numerous assassins every year. Raising intelligent animals to help assassins is difficult and complex, so problems big and small often occur.
Every time that happened, stories would flow out through the mouths of the Roinen family members, so it was likely that Ogada Rubin would have heard them.
If a problem occurred in such an important place, it would be right to resolve it first. Siren seemed to think so too, as her gaze became sharper.
“I know, too. So?”
“How about sending Tina there?”
A shadow fell over Siren’s face. Even though she was her mother, she must have wondered what her intentions were.
“Rubin, I don’t know what you’re thinking when you say that, but the arboretum problem isn’t that simple.”
“I know very well. And I know how to solve that problem.”
You’re quite bold.
Although there was no word or expression, the siren seemed to be saying something like this.
“That’s right. What if we can’t solve it?”
“At that time, I will not vomit even if you do as the Lord wishes with Tina.”
“That alone is not enough. The arboretum is a critical issue that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. If you waste time on it, you will also be severely punished.”
Caaaak.
Roynecrou howled softly, as if to represent the horror contained in his mother’s words. But Rubin’s reaction was rather bold.
“Don’t worry, my lord. I will definitely take care of it, but I have one request to make.”
“Speak.”
“Please let Tina and I go, just the two of us.”
Siren’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“When there are vassals, they are annoying and draw attention. It was like that when I went to and from the Tower of Light and Rebellion. That’s also why I ran into the assassination squad.”
It made sense. If Rubin had moved alone, it might have been faster and safer.
“Since the route is convenient and not too far, I would like to travel just the two of us.”
Siren was silent. As if that wasn’t enough, her face looked somewhat displeased. Rubin continued, driving a wedge in.
“And most of all, I figured out how to control Tina perfectly.”
Control. Tina is a girl from the Phantom Tribe who can transform into anything. How on earth can you control that rascal?
It didn’t seem like he was lying. He seemed determined to prove it right away. I didn’t know Rubin’s mind, but I thought I knew this little boy’s fighting spirit.
“… How arrogant.”
Even though she said that, there was a smile on Siren’s lips. It was so faint that it was almost invisible.
“Please allow me, my lord.”
A siren who seems to be in trouble.
First of all, you are free from the rule of refraining from going outside before leaving home. After all, you have been given a mission.
Safety was also not a concern. As Rubin said, the road was neither difficult nor far. The arboretum was also operated in secret, so there would be no danger on the journey.
Tina also has the innate nature of a blood-thirsty race that cannot kill others. Even if she runs away, she will not be able to harm Rubin. Even if she runs away, she can secretly attach her vassals to her.
These are the only two major issues. Other risk factors have been ruled out. If a son is exposed to trivial and minor dangers, it would be better not to take him in in the first place.
‘Interesting.’
Rather, it was as if there was one more interesting thing to watch for. Will this little kid be able to solve the arboretum problem that had been bothering him?
You’ll find out when you see it.
“Okay. You can go now.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“for a moment.”
Rubin’s steps stopped as he was about to leave the room.
“Rubin. Even if it’s the Arboretum, how do you know Mr. Gilleyfield? There’s probably no one around you who can tell you about him.”
Even Siren missed this part because of Rubin’s overly confident attitude.
‘Oops.’
It was a small mistake on Rubin’s part.
It’s obvious that he knows Gilfield’s inspiration thanks to the regression. But he can’t explain it straight away.
“Oh, I saw it in a book in the basement library. I don’t remember the title, but… … .”
When he was suspected, he would stand and make excuses. It was one of the few truths he had realized. Rubin talked back like a child, and fortunately, Siren’s suspicions stopped there.
“Hmm, you said you usually just stay in the library. Okay. Go out and try.”
