Immortals From My Past Life Are Still Obsessed With the Reincarnated Me

1 – Dane (1)

Planning one’s own death is not a pleasant affair.

Yet thinking about where, how, and what meaning that death will have, one’s resolve naturally strengthens – this too is true.

Whether it will be a simple suicide, or a decisive act that changes the nation’s fate, I cannot know until it all ends.

The wind brushing my black robes and the dagger pressed to my chest hurried me along.

Now, what’s the very first thing I must do before executing this life-risking plan?

“I quit.”

That’s handing in my resignation at work.

“What are you talking about?”

A gravelly voice with a slight tremble, like walking on thin ice.

The middle-aged man exuding the air of a leader stared at me.

His name is Phillip Burton.

The leader of the rebel group organized to stage a coup against the kingdom, and the man who had adopted me as an orphan and raised me.

“I’m tired too, Captain. From now on I want to live an ordinary life like other young men.”

“Did something big happen recently? Why so suddenly…”

I didn’t relish having this conversation with someone like a father before me.

No matter my intentions, I could only impart disappointment.

Though I addressed him formally in public, we were like family, with me calling him Uncle Phillip in private – so I felt even more guilty.

“Think it over again, Dane. No one, no matter who they are, could find an assassin like you in the entire kingdom.”

“It’s a decision I made after thorough consideration.”

“Has your vengeance towards the kingdom somehow weakened? I told you didn’t I, about your parents…”

I waved my hand, cutting off his words and interjecting.

“It’s not that my resentment for the kingdom has disappeared.”

“Then?”

“Just… Haha, I’m a bit tired. It’s not common for someone my age to live this kind of life. My hands are far too bloodied.”

Even Uncle Phillip couldn’t continue after I said this much.

He felt guilty about grooming me into an assassin after discovering my innate talent, even if it was to survive.

Though it was what I wanted too, so he didn’t need to feel that way.

“I see… Then… I have no choice.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Rest well. I’ll come by occasionally too.”

“Yes, I plan to live farming or something so do stop by sometimes.”

I smiled and bid farewell before exiting the room.

For some reason the morning air felt chillier than usual today.

Whether due to the enormous ordeal before me, or the many lingering attachments I left behind, I could not discern.

‘Farming, what.’

I chuckled at my own spontaneous words.

Of course, I wasn’t quitting the rebels to live an ordinary rural life as a young man my age.

Rather, what lay before me now was several times, no, possibly dozens of times more dangerous than my current work.

‘Can I do it?’

After walking a few steps and confirming no one was around, I quietly took out the dagger I always kept on me.

The strange ancient letters etched onto the dagger’s blade.

As I slowly read the letters aloud, they detached from the blade one by one, taking form and floating up into the air.

Soon the letters arranged themselves to form a sentence, and above it a blurry map-like image appeared on its own.

‘Yes, with just this…’

A few days ago I had coincidentally acquired this dagger engraved with indecipherable ancient letters. Since then I had scurried everywhere trying to decipher them.

Like that I finally assembled them into a sentence, and confirmed that the magic recorded in ancient letters became realized.

The result was nothing short of shocking.

‘A map of the secret passage beneath the kingdom’s capital. Using this I could infiltrate anywhere in the palace, slicing anyone’s throat.’

This magic recorded a detailed map of the secret passage beneath the capital that no one knew of.

A miraculous place with tunnels leading everywhere, like a mole’s burrow.

Using this secret passage, I alone could penetrate the heavily guarded palace smoothly.

‘Does the kingdom not know of this passage’s existence?’

At first I couldn’t believe such a passage existed.

After all, our group had struggled for nearly 20 years yet never discovered this passage, let alone considered making one.

But when I actually went to check, the secret passage definitely existed.

Barely enough for one person to fit, yet it couldn’t be more perfect for assassination purposes.

After thorough preparations I even tested it out, sneaking in through the passage and slicing a soldier’s throat before slipping back out.

‘They really had no idea.’

As with any military, a lone soldier’s death would be quietly buried.

But this one experience assured me that the underground secret passage hadn’t been detected by the kingdom.

If they knew of its existence, they would have filled it or blocked it immediately, yet there were no measures at all.

No traps were found when I used it myself either.

‘With this, rebellion will be a walk in the park.’

Upon discovering the secret passage I agonized over it.

I considered sharing the map with all my comrades and together infiltrating the palace through it.

But a bit of thought made me realize that plan was foolish.

‘Dozens to hundreds going through that tiny passage is next to impossible. And how could we know if there’s a traitor?’

Sorry to say, but I don’t trust all of our rebel members.

Kingdom spies had been uncovered several times among us, and we had people embedded in the kingdom military too, so it was only natural.

I did consider revealing it to top leaders like Uncle Phillip, but that didn’t seem wise either.

‘This is something I have to do alone.’

Assassination is easier done solo rather than in a team to begin with.

In addition, I’m confident I can do better alone than most others.

As awkward as it is to say myself, didn’t Uncle just call me the kingdom’s top assassin?

To be precise, that’s a bit off.

I’m not the kingdom’s best, but the continent’s best.

‘Anyway.’

So I left the rebels.

It was to complete this assassination as a personal mission.

Even if I remove the target, escaping would be impossible, and I didn’t want to drag in any other sacrifices besides myself.

If Uncle Phillip realized my assassination plan was practically suicidal, he would desperately try to stop me – that was plain to see too.

“Once I kill them all, please take care of the rest.”

I softly murmured looking up at the rebel headquarters.

Even without me, those who inherit my will shall reform this rotten kingdom and open up a new world.

Even if I won’t be in that world, the fact that orphans like me will cease to exist is enough for my goal to be achieved.

The only regret is that I couldn’t…

“…Ah.”

Marry before dying.

That was my sole regret.

“Uncle?”

My wish to marry before dying arrived a few months later in a slightly different yet terribly skewed manner.

“Yes, it’s been a while. Dane.”

“Oh… Good to see you.”

I had been busy every day since leaving the rebels.

While the miraculous underground passage beneath the capital was secured, much preparation was needed for a perfect assassination.

From procuring all sorts of hard-to-get tools, to honing my skills to the utmost level – that too was part of the groundwork.

‘Did he just come to see my face?’

So I was honestly surprised when Uncle Phillip came to visit.

Since he came so suddenly without even a letter, it made me unnecessarily worried that something might have happened to the rebels in my absence.

I was happy to see him but still anxious, so I hid all my assassination tools before going back to the door to let Uncle inside.

“You really were resting in the countryside, huh.”

“Yes. You found it well like I explained.”

“It was somewhat tiring getting here. I’ve been so busy lately I don’t have time to breathe. Why’d you settle in some rural backwater like this?”

“Well… I like the nature here….”

“There aren’t even women here. Since you’ve come out anyway, how about starting a family?”

“Come on, family…”

As if I’d make another orphan.

“But what business brings you here?”

“I came to see the face of the boy I raised.”

“That’s just an excuse, what’s the real reason? And who’re they?”

“Sharp as ever, lad.”

Only then did Uncle Phillip step over the threshold.

And as he entered, I naturally noticed three young children crowded together and clinging closely behind him.

Purple, blonde, white… even their hair colors were all different.

The blonde and white seemed barely over 10 years old, while the smallest purple-haired one looked around 6 years old.

“….Hi?”

The moment I awkwardly waved a greeting, the purple and blonde kids rushed over clutching each of my legs.

“Wahhh!”

“Uncwe!”

“You children! Young ladies shouldn’t cling to a stranger man like that!”

Just what is this situation?

My head was starting to hurt.