The Regressed Illegitimate Child is a Genius Dark Magician

Chapter 10

Agnese did not immediately respond to Damian’s words. Instead, she hesitated for a moment, gazing at the horizon. As she watched the lights reflecting on the lakeshore, her expression gradually grew colder.

“When did you find out?”

Agnese spoke in a deliberately low tone. It was much more natural than before.

“There’s no way I wouldn’t know if we both understood each other’s circumstances.”

It wasn’t just about the broken engagement. In the past, Damian had always been mindful of others’ opinions, which had given him a certain knack for reading people’s emotions. From the start, it was impossible for Agnese to genuinely care for Damian, a bastard child, given the situation she was in. At the engagement ceremony, many young ladies envied Agnese, but at the same time, some mocked her fate. Her father had been murdered by a bastard child, and yet she was now set to marry one. What could be a crueler joke than that?

This was all part of a scheme orchestrated by her uncle, the current head of the Schubert family. His aim was to completely erase even the slightest chance of her inheriting the family name. The moment she ceased to be Agnese Schubert and became Agnese Renekt, her claim to succession would vanish entirely. At the same time, her uncle sought to establish ties with the imperial family.

Even if Damian was a bastard, he was still the son of a woman whom the emperor had once favored. Perhaps some benefits might trickle down to them. This pathetic plan would ultimately be dismantled by Agnese herself. She would claim the family headship through a life-and-death duel with her uncle. After showcasing her years of hard work and innate talent to the world, she would earn a new title, The Woman Loved by the Sword.

The way Agnese handled a sword was proof that she was truly loved by it. Of course, even that brilliance would fade before the greatest warrior of all time, Mikhail. If Agnese was loved by the sword, Mikhail was one who ruled over the aura itself. In the civil war, Agnese sided with the orthodox faction and ultimately met her end at Mikhail’s hands. When Damian heard the news, he felt no particular emotion. After all, Agnese and he were practically strangers. That remained unchanged even now. He simply needed to draw a clear line.

In the past, he had wavered despite knowing Agnese’s true feelings. He had thought he had no right to cut ties, and, more than that, he had feared severing relationships himself.

“Have I been lacking as a fiancé in some way?”

“Not at all.”

On the surface, she was absolutely flawless. For someone who despised the existence of bastards to this degree, maintaining such a façade required an unimaginable level of patience.

“If you wish, I can be the one to request the annulment first.”

In the past, Agnese had been the one to initiate the annulment, which left a favorable impression on the empress. As a result, the Schubert family regained some of its lost influence under the empress’s protection, and Agnese became a loyal member of the orthodox faction. Strengthening the empress’s faction to counter Mikhail was a fool’s move. No matter how power was amassed, before Mikhail’s aura, all were equal. Thus, weakening the orthodox faction was in Damian’s best interest. It was better to stay out of unnecessary conflicts. If Damian was the one to initiate the annulment this time, it would prevent him from drawing the empress’s attention like before.

‘It’s better to stay far away from the conflict.’

Though Agnese’s talent with the sword did not match Mikhail’s, it was still a considerable threat. What she would choose to do after the annulment was uncertain. In any case, she could never stand on Damian’s side. So the best course of action was to avoid entanglements. The fewer variables in his revenge, the better.

“The wind is chilly. I will see you inside later.”

Agnese turned away with the same cold expression. She wouldn’t be feeling particularly pleased. She had believed she was the one deceiving him, only to realize she had been dancing in the palm of his hand all along.

“Is she really not going to come after all?”

Even after Agnese left, Damian remained at the stern of the ship for a long time. He thought that, if there were no onlookers, Anya or someone sent by her might approach. But even as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and the full moon rose over the lake, no one came. There wasn’t much time left. At this rate, things would unfold as they were meant to.

“Well, there’s no helping it then.”

Damian turned away, preparing for his next move. Always have a backup plan. It was something he had learned firsthand before his regression, and something Derrick had reinforced afterward.

“Oh my, Lady Agnese. Where is your fiancé? Why are you alone?”

On her way back to the center of the cruise ship, a group of young ladies blocked Agnese’s path. Their families ruled over neighboring lands, so they had known each other for some time, though their relationship was far from amicable. Since they had even attended the engagement ceremony, Agnese quickly put on her well-practiced mask.

“Lord Damian wished to enjoy the lake breeze a little longer before returning.”

“I hope he doesn’t catch a cold. But then again, he looks much sturdier than before. I suppose a little wind won’t bother him.”

“With that face and that physique, I could believe he was a knight rather than a mage.”

“How enviable. You’re about to be bound in eternal vows with such a man.”

Enviable? What nonsense. Agnese gave them a light smile and walked past. When she didn’t react to their provocations, the ladies clicked their heels in dissatisfaction. Agnese had grown too used to such things to even feel anger anymore. Their emotions were a mixture of two things. On one hand, they were envious that Agnese at least had the opportunity for a romance, something with Damian, however insincere. On the other hand, they harbored pure contempt that she was forced into a marriage with a bastard.

For Agnese, the humiliation was twice as unbearable. Her father’s murder and her current predicament both stemmed from none other than her half-brother. She had never wanted to end up in this position. She would rather have spent her time resting than wasting it here. But the moment the news spread that Damian would be attending the ball, her despicable uncle forced her to come under the pretext of managing her fiancé. Smiling benignly, he had coaxed her, but Agnese had barely suppressed her nausea. She knew exactly what kind of filth he had committed. But it didn’t matter. Soon, everything would be set right. Through her sword.

“You ignorant fool who doesn’t even understand this subject! How dare you act up here!”

When Agnès returned to the center of the ballroom, a commotion had broken out. A young man named Colhen, who had been playing a board game with Damian, was grabbing a servant by the collar and scuffling with him.

“I’ll say it again. From now on, follow our instructions. As long as the conditions are met, no one will get hurt.”

At these cryptic words, the ballroom guests glanced at each other and shrugged. Was the servant on something? They exchanged such thoughts without speaking.

“This bastard, really…!”

Unable to hold back any longer, a translucent aura began to rise from Colhen’s body. He was using an aura. Surely, there wouldn’t be bloodshed here, everyone thought at that moment.

Viiiiiiiing.

A jarring resonance sent a shudder through everyone’s bodies. Soon, a translucent barrier formed around the three cruise ships. The hemispherical barrier isolated the ballroom from the outside world. That was not the only change. The aura enveloping Colhen’s body suddenly disappeared.

“What the…! Gaaahhh!!”

The servant, still held by the collar, moved his hand to his waist. A flash of light streaked through the air, leaving a crimson line across one of Colhen’s eyes. Blood dripped down, followed by a scream. At this signal, the assassins who had been hiding among the ballroom guests drew their weapons and surrounded the others.

“I will say this one more time.”

Clap, clap

The servant, no, the assassin, kicked the groaning Colhen lying on the ground, drawing the crowd’s attention with his applause.

“Stay. Still. No one. Will. Get hurt.”

His voice, breaking awkwardly between words, carried an eerie, inexplicable menace. His dull, fish-like eyes swept over the noble youths, making their hairs stand on end.

“This is an anti-magic barrier. As intelligent individuals, I’m sure you grasp the situation now.”

It was a barrier created using a magic tool powered by chamasite. Inside it, no magical acts were possible. This applied to the assassins as well, but the captives, overwhelmed by the atmosphere, could not move properly. Besides, everyone gathered here had not yet reached adulthood. They had no experience dealing with sudden crises. Of course, not everyone was the same.

“Kugh!!”

Agnès, who had been assessing the situation, drove her fist into an assassin’s abdomen. With that single strike, his eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness. Agnès immediately snatched his sword and assumed a stance.

“What is your goal?”

Agnès looked at the man who seemed to be the leader and asked. He curled one side of his lips, as if amused by her reaction.

“I have matters to discuss with Anya Hilton. Whether she is inside or outside the ballroom, if she doesn’t want this to escalate, she will comply with negotiations.”

The man spoke openly about their plan. He had already decided that the hostages here, including Agnès, were not significant variables.

“I know your face, Lady Agnès Schubert. Your courage is commendable, but please, follow our instructions.”

“If you speak through the sword, I have nothing to give but my own sword.”

Agnès discarded her uncomfortable shoes and tore the sleeves and hem of her cumbersome dress. Her muscles, possessing just the right thickness and elasticity like those of a wild horse, were accentuated by the light. This was not mere noble fencing. She took great pride in the Schubert family’s swordsmanship.

“Making an example should make things easier to handle.”

At the man’s words, three assassins charged at Agnès, their swords brimming with clear intent to kill. Did they think that intimidating her would make her cower like the others? A foolish assumption. That level of murderous intent was not enough to pressure her. Holding a sword meant accepting the risk of being cut oneself. It was a lesson her father had taught her on the very first day she wielded a blade, and Agnès kept it close to her heart.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Agnès’s sword moved gracefully, reflecting the ballroom’s light. Though three grown men attacked at once, neither their strength nor skill could overwhelm her. This situation was unexpected, but she felt more at ease now than earlier. The stuffy ballroom was stifling, being able to wield her sword freely was far better. She was a noble, yes. But above all, she was a swordswoman. That was what she always believed. For this moment, matters concerning her family or Damian were not on her mind at all.

“Next.”

After she knocked down three men, another three rushed in. That was fine. Without aura, their swordsmanship was mere child’s play to her.

“Next.”

The assassins exchanged glances, and a few more dashed toward her.

But she was outnumbered. After taking down three, five came at her. If she was able to use aura, she could have handled all the assassins. But even for her, defeating them all with pure physical strength was too much.

“Everyone, pull yourselves together! We can handle this!”

Agnès shouted to the captives surrounded by assassins. Some among them had trained in aura. With their basic strength and technique, they could be valuable allies.

‘Damn it…’

But their spirits had already been broken. The inability to use aura had completely shattered their will. No matter how skilled they were, if they couldn’t use aura, they were useless. All their training had been based on using aura. Now, with the anti-magic barrier in place, they couldn’t use it. And so, they saw themselves as powerless. Even though their bodies were unharmed, their minds were not. None dared to rise. Agnès had continued training without relying on aura. It was an old-fashioned method, but to truly refine one’s swordsmanship, avoiding aura was beneficial. But the others were different.

‘If just one person would step up, it’d be much easier.’

The assassins weren’t particularly skilled. They, too, couldn’t use aura. Right now, Agnès was shouldering the entire burden. If just one person stood and helped her, things would be much easier. At that moment—

Tap!

A sharp footstep cut between Agnès and the assassins. With a swift draw, the newcomer slashed an assassin’s shoulder and kicked him down.

“First, let’s get those spineless worms in the back out of here.”

Damian said, standing back-to-back with Agnès.