The God of Assassination Becomes the Strongest Healer (2)
Mana.
The miraculous power that allowed a knight’s sword to cleave the earth and granted a mage’s magic the authority to tear the sky asunder.
Knights, mages, spiritists, martial artists, alchemists, healers, rangers, and more.
There were many classes of superhumans who gained authority by wielding mana, but if there was one commonality that applied to them all, it was that they forged a ‘Mana Ring’ in their heart through training and obtained transcendental power through that ring.
And because of this, the world regarded the formula ‘mana user = possessor of a Mana Ring’ as an absolute truth.
Pfft.
Suddenly, a smile resembling my master’s graced my lips as well. I couldn’t suppress my laughter because his hearty voice came to mind once more.
["Think about it. What could be more absurd than a fellow calling himself an assassin flaunting a Mana Ring everywhere and running his mouth, ‘Actually, I’m a mana user. So please, be careful!’?"]
["From now on, I shall impart to you a method to accumulate mana without a Mana Ring, and this shall be the greatest gift I can give you."]
["Where did I learn such a bizarre method? Well. I don’t even know its exact origin. It’s a breathing technique I discovered in ancient ruins I happened upon in my youth. So I only know that this breathing method is a legacy of an ancient kingdom; I know nothing of the rest of the details."]
["However, through experience, I learned that this breathing method is similar to what those spiritist fellows practice. In that it values communion with nature."]
["But what importance does its origin hold? What matters is that I, who was nothing but a wandering mercenary, became one of the five greatest assassins on the continent thanks to this breathing method. And that you too shall learn this breathing method, which only I knew."]
The unique breathing method ‘Arka’ that my master taught me.
Arka possessed not only outstanding performance as a breathing method but also the great advantage of effectively hiding its user’s power.
Due to Arka’s characteristic of storing mana in the blood and muscles, it was difficult for an opponent to detect that an Arka user without a Mana Ring was a mana user.
And by using this advantage, I had successfully completed countless killings that had seemed impossible.
‘…So it took me about a year to completely master the first stage of Arka?’
And on the day I left my master’s side.
["You already know, but Arka can be divided into seven stages depending on the degree of training. And I have mastered up to the fourth stage among them. You, however, will likely be able to learn up to the sixth stage someday. And I became one of the five greatest assassins on the continent with merely the learning of the fourth stage. So if you manage to master the realm of the sixth stage someday…."]
My master placed his hand on my shoulder and spoke the following words.
["You might even be called the God of Assassination then."]
My master’s discernment was accurate. After leaving his side upon mastering the third stage of Arka, I was able to master the sixth stage in the year I turned seventy, and from then on, people called me the God of Assassination.
“Hoo, hoo….”
Lying sprawled in the most comfortable position in the world, I wiggled my still-short limbs as I pleased and regulated my breathing.
I could feel the secret teachings of Arka, which my master had taught me and which I had honed for decades, permeating my blood and muscles.
Unfortunately, even though a year had passed since I began training, my Arka was still stuck at the first stage.
Because this was still a child’s body, various restrictions arose, making it impossible to devote myself to training with peace of mind.
But I didn’t feel impatient.
Or perhaps, thinking about it logically, there may have been no need to re-master the assassination techniques I had learned in my previous life. After all….
‘Now, I am the successor of the renowned house of healing arts, Claudius, which is counted among the greatest on the continent.’
Still lying flat on my back, I opened my eyes and saw the golden shield emblem carved into the ceiling at a glance.
‘The golden shield in the center represents the steadfastness of Claudius, and the eight wings surrounding the shield represent the noble will that Claudius must uphold.’
The oath of Claudius, which I had heard hundreds of times and was now completely sick of hearing.
Every time I saw this oath, I was newly reminded that I was not the God of Assassination but ‘Faegan Claudius.’
“Claudius, noble Claudius.”
I muttered the name of my family, which still hadn’t fully sunk into my skin.
On the vast continent, there were countless nations, and in each nation, there were noble houses that ruled the land.
Sword, magic, wealth, combat, technique, spirits.
Noble houses vying for hegemony, each flaunting their own distinct characteristics.
Among those numerous noble houses, it wasn’t difficult to find ‘renowned houses of healing arts’ that specialized in healing techniques and sought to expand their influence.
However, among the considerable number of renowned houses of healing arts, Claudius was a little—no, quite special.
‘Compassionate lions who do not hesitate to turn toward the lowest places,’ and ‘gray figures whose inner workings are utterly incomprehensible.’
The two old epithets that followed Claudius.
‘Healing arts’ was a technique of considerable value, so most renowned houses of healing arts with any fame at all aligned themselves with other great powers to seek profit.
But Claudius had used its outstanding techniques not for a specific house but for all who suffered, and because of this, the continent’s view of Claudius was divided into two.
‘Saviors who help the powerless, suffering commoners,’ or ‘gray figures who practice dubious hypocrisy and walk a dangerous tightrope without taking anyone’s side.’
If the Claudius house had not possessed extraordinary skill of the highest caliber, it might have long since suffered a terrible fate at the hands of someone wary of them.
And the captain standing at the forefront of this difficult voyage, holding the helm of the Claudius estate, was none other than….
‘My father, whom I cannot help but respect, Tiberi Claudius.’
The mere thought of him brought a smile to my face—my father’s strong jaw and rugged beard.
‘Already this late?’
Checking the time, I finished today’s breathing training.
And after neatly straightening my bedding, I slipped back into it and closed my eyes.
Before long, my nanny would come to wake me.
(According to what the nanny knew,) my usual waking time was a bit more relaxed than this, but today the nanny was scheduled to arrive a bit sooner.
Because today was the first day my successor training would begin in earnest.
Thump, thump.
“Hmm-hm-hmm♫.”
Not long after lying down and closing my eyes, a cheerful hum was heard from down the hallway.
Thanks to the increased amount of snacks she’d been having lately, her footsteps were even heavier, and that melody she always hummed.
Click.
“Young master! Young maaaster! It’s time to wake up!”
The door opened with a burst of sound.
“Young master, listen to our little birdies chirping to wake you up! Hurry!”
With lively sounds, the curtains by the window were drawn, and the window was thrown wide open (once again).
“Mmm… Nanny? What time is it?”
“It’s just past seven in the morning, young master. Madam said last night that you should wake up early today because it’s a special day, remember?”
And her chubby palm gently touched my cheek.
“Mmm… I remember.”
“As expected of our young master! How admirable!”
Perhaps there had been no need to pretend to wake up.
But looking at my nanny’s expression, which seemed to say, ‘Waking up our adorable young master is my greatest joy!’, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to play the child for her.
“Upsie-daisy! Then shall we get up, our young master!”
Putting her arm under my armpit, the nanny kissed my cheek.
Such unreserved behavior would never be tolerated in other noble houses, but the nanny poured affection on me without hesitation.
This was the land of the Claudius estate, and my mother’s philosophy was that ‘pouring out pure affection can never be a sin.’
“Young master, let’s go eat. This nanny has prepared a breakfast table full of dishes you like.”
“Ooh, okay.”
Playing the expression of one still half-asleep, I took the nanny’s hand and left the room, and the morning breeze slipping through the open window gap congratulated me on my first day of lessons.
* * *
Whoosh.
The path taken after finishing breakfast and grooming. A sea breeze that had lost its way blew and slapped my cheek sharply.
“Oh my! What nasty wind blows so fiercely! Aren’t you cold, young master?”
“No. I’m fine.”
Shaking my head as I climbed the neatly laid stone steps.
“Ah, if I had known the wind would blow so hard, I would have dressed you more warmly. Young master, your legs must hurt from climbing the stairs? Let me carry you, so come here.”
“No. It’s the road to see my father. I’m grateful for your care, Nanny, but I want to go to where my father is on my own two feet.”
“Oh my! Our young master! How brave you are!”
Leaving behind the nanny who was making a fuss over nothing, I looked around.
Crash, crash.
Swoosh.
The sound of waves and the endlessly blowing sea breeze from all directions.
And the blue sea pouring into a field of vision that was still not very wide.
‘Ah… wonderful!’
Hiding from the nanny’s eyes, I let out a fresh exclamation. Truly, the view from the stone steps leading to the ‘island’s’ peak was a sight to behold, no matter when I saw it.
‘Espetara.’
The solitary island in the blue sea where I had lived since gaining my second life, and which raised and protected the Claudius family.
Though it might look lonely at a glance, being an island rising tall in the middle of the sea, because the forest surrounding its outskirts was in full bloom with all kinds of plants and flowers, Espetara was neither lonely nor sad.
And for the past five years, I had spent a happy and abundant childhood surrounded by the blessings bestowed by the sea and the forest.
“Young master, aren’t you nervous? Today is your first lesson.”
“Mmm… I am a bit nervous, but I’m not worried. This is a process that anyone who is a Claudius must go through.”
“Oh! So brave and dependable! Truly, I feel full without eating just by looking at you, young master.”
“But you ate two bowls of breakfast this morning too, didn’t you?”
“Th-that’s… from today, I must serve you even better, and to do that, I must steel my resolve! A-anyway, young master! Do your best! Everyone on this island, including me, is cheering for you!”
“Thank you, Nanny. I’ll do my best.”
Holding hands with the nanny who had always taken care of me in place of my busy mother, I diligently climbed the stone steps.
It was true that I had said I wasn’t worried, but that didn’t mean today was an ordinary day like any other.
Waiting for me at the end of these steps was the current head leading the greatest house of healing arts on the continent, ‘Claudius,’ and my father, ‘Tiberi Claudius.’
Finally reaching the end of the stairs.
“You’ve come? Faegan.”
“Yes, Father.”
My father, whose physique was more reminiscent of a warrior than a healer, welcomed me with a loud voice, and I let go of the nanny’s hand, which had grown damp with sweat, and took another step forward.
“Since it’s the first day of lessons, I trust you’ve prepared yourself mentally?”
“Of course. Though I am lacking, I shall do my utmost to meet the expectations of my father and the house.”
“Haha! Good! That is the right mindset.”
My father’s hearty laughter.
Two desks facing each other.
Various textbooks on healing arts and all sorts of equipment to help detect the flow of mana, prepared in advance.
“Strike while the iron is hot—then shall we begin the lesson at once!”
And once again, the sea breeze struck my cheek a little harder.
I stepped with calm but firm strides, declaring my resolve to bid farewell to the childhood that had been nothing but peaceful.
“Understood, Father. I am ready whenever you are.”