The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

“An unidentified force was looking after Cyan, you say?”

“Yes, all the agents that had been dispatched so far were dealt with by them.”

Aschel asked with an incredulous expression.

“And, what is their identity?”

“Regrettably, we haven’t been able to identify them yet. However, according to the only surviving agent, they felt not merely like ordinary knights but like well-trained assassins. From what I’ve personally observed, they seem to act within certain bounds, but as soon as those bounds are crossed, they immediately initiate action.”

Despite the seriousness of the report, Kellin’s tone was remarkably calm.

“So, I thought I should report to you, Aschel. I’ve halted all activities and returned immediately. I’m sorry for not being able to bring back as much information as you wanted.”

The anxiety from before his departure had vanished as if it never existed.

It was as if he was a different person.

“You’ve done well. I’ll need to think about this a bit. You may leave now.”

“Yes.”

Kellin bowed his head without any reluctance, turned around, and headed towards the door.

Aschel watched his back with a deep gaze.

“Kellin?”

Just as he was about to open the door and leave, Aschel called him once more,

With an inscrutable smile, he softly asked,

“I have a question for you.”

Despite saying he had a question, Aschel remained silent for nearly 10 seconds.

Kellin was the first to break the silence.

“May the blessing of Lumendel be with you.”

A somewhat unexpected blessing.

However, Aschel laughed heartily at that.

“Thank you for your answer, Sir Kellin. Do not misunderstand. This is just a periodic ritual, after all. You may leave now.”

Kellin silently bowed his head and then opened the door and left.

“……”

Left alone, Aschel sank into contemplation with an odd expression on his face, neither displeased nor pleased.

It seemed as if he was feeling somewhat perplexed.

Soon, a knock on the door was heard.

-Knock knock

“Come in.”

A maid with light brown hair opened the door and entered.

She seemed tense, hunching her shoulders a bit.

“Yo- Young Master! The royal family’s carriage has just arrived near Vellias!”

“Is that so? Then I should get ready and head out. Thank you for letting me know.”

There was nothing quite like a handsome face and a charming smile to make a woman’s heart flutter.

Intoxicated by ecstasy, her face flushed, and her heart fluttered for a moment.

Unable to control her emotions, her hand eventually knocked over a vase that was placed next to the door.

-Crash!

The vase shattered with a loud noise.

“I’m- I’m so sorry, Young Master! I’ll clean it up right away!”

The maid hastily began to pick up the pieces of glass.

-Swish

“……!”

Aschel, who had approached unnoticed, gently touched her hand and chanted a spell.

“Restoration…….”

A pure white light emitted from his hand enveloped the glass shards in the maid’s hand.

The pieces seemed to fit themselves back together, and before long, the vase was restored to its original state before it was broken.

Taking the place of the stunned maid, Aschel personally lifted the vase and placed it back on the table.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Huh? Yes! No, I mean, I’m fine, Young Master! Thank you for your concern!”

His kindness was palpable, without a trace of malice.

The maid was so enchanted, as if she had seen the face of an angel.

Aschel felt her face seemed familiar.

“Now that I think about it, your face looks familiar. Was your name… Emily?”

“Ye- Yes! I used to serve the youngest master!”

It was Emily, who had been the personal maid of Cyan until two months ago.

“…….”

Aschel smiled an enigmatic, suggestive smile.

“Well, no one else would have observed from the sidelines as long as a dedicated maid.”

“Yes……?”

“Would you like to become my maid this time?”

“……?”

Her face, filled with joy, immediately turned to stone.

* * *

“The youngest of the Vert family?”

“Yes. Although a newcomer, he is currently almost the sole possessor of dark attribute magic at the academy.”

Regens Rainriver, the head of the Garam Kingdom’s Magical Society.

While reading the report, he eventually let out a scoff.

“Dark attribute at 92%, by the numbers alone, it’s almost divine.”

“According to our investigators, despite being of noble birth, he was assigned to the Royal Dormitory, which is under the influence of Emperor Dione. It is said that he has received considerable attention not only from the royal family but also from Chancellor Kundel Quisel.”

“It seems like none of the kids from that family are normal.”

Regens laughed as if amused but then casually tossed aside Cyan’s report.

“So, you’re suggesting that this boy, who at best might be called a prodigy, is suspected to have killed a dragon… Is that what you want to say?”

He was indeed an extraordinary individual, but after all, still just a boy.

A genius prodigy being the murderer of master-level dragons?

It was a notion so worthless it wouldn’t even make for a good novel plot.

Regens’ eyes were as fierce as if a killing spell might burst forth at any moment.

Sweat trickled down the investigator’s cheek in response.

“Of- of course not, this alone does not suffice to deem the boy Cyan a suspect, but there’s one point of connection we cannot overlook!”

“A connection?”

“At the time Leonard Crimson, who had been supplying demon blood, was murdered, this boy Cyan was also at the front lines!”

Regens’ pupils twitched momentarily.

“This boy was at the front lines?”

“Yes. Before enrolling in the academy, he spent about a year at the front lines for experience, alongside senior knights. The problem is, the period he was there coincides with when Leonard Crimson was actively diverting demon blood and was murdered!”

This too could merely be a coincidence.

There was no evidence anywhere that Cyan had killed Leonard.

However, this somewhat dubious link stirred something in Regens’ mind.

“And, this is merely a rumor but…….”

The investigator’s report was not yet finished.

After hesitating for a moment, he cautiously continued.

“There are rumors that this boy Cyan, when he was at the front lines, came back alive from an encounter with a Demon Dragon!”

“A Demon Dragon?”

“Yes! While the details are still being investigated, let me share the story we’ve received so far…”

The investigator recounted the events in order: a year ago, when Emperor Dione visited the front lines with the fifth princess, the invasion of monsters occurred, and afterwards, Cyan acted as a decoy to evacuate the fifth princess and was kidnapped by a Demon Dragon but managed to return alive.

Regens listened to the story with a surprisingly calm expression, but then the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

“Kuhahaha!”

He eventually burst into rare hearty laughter.

“It’s so absurd I can only laugh! So, he didn’t receive the Emperor and Chancellor’s attention for nothing? Quite a popular fellow from a young age!”

Regens picked up Cyan’s report again and continued.

“How many do you think will enroll in the Royal Academy from our Garam Kingdom in the next two years?”

“Uh, I would need to check the exact figures, but I believe around 200.”

“Too few.”

It was highly unusual for him, who normally showed little interest in the academy, to inquire about the number of prospective students.

“Not just the nobles’ children, but gather all the talented individuals from across the kingdom. Commoners or even serfs, status doesn’t matter. Even those who have sought asylum from other countries would do. We need to at least double the current projected number of enrollees.”

“But, if we do that, won’t there be opposition from the royal family and the nobility……”

“That’s not for you to worry about. Everyone has their role to play. There will be no progress for this country with the nobles’ idle talk. I’ll convey this to His Majesty myself.”

“I will follow your orders, Chairman!”

After the investigator left.

Alone, Regens stared blankly at a magic stone placed in front of him on the desk.

“……”

As his lips curved into a semi-circle, faint multicolored lights began to softly glow from the magic stone.

* * *

“Has it been 2 years since you graduated from the Royal Academy? You seem well, being back in your hometown, Aschel.”

“As with everyone, there’s no place more comfortable than home.”

“At least for me, that doesn’t seem to be the case. This place always feels dreary whenever I come, but still, it seems better than the imperial palace.”

Flowing silver hair and deep blue eyes.

And a dignified smile befitting a member of the imperial family.

Luinel Sevellus, the First Prince of the Ushif Empire.

He was currently having a conversation with Aschel in a downtown garden of Vellias.

“How is His Imperial Majesty’s health?”

“Just the usual symptoms that come periodically. This time, the timing was just unfortunate. Well, for me, it’s not too bad since it gives me a chance to see your face.”

The prince answered nonchalantly, taking a sip of his tea.

Currently, Emperor Dione was bedridden due to a sudden exacerbation of his chronic heart condition.

As a result, the front-line inspections were being handled solely by Prince Luinel.

While the Emperor had often visited the front lines accompanied by members of the royal family in the past, this was the first time a prince had undertaken the inspection alone without the Emperor.

“So, how long do you plan to rot away in this remote place? Shouldn’t you settle down somewhere by now? For someone of your talents to just be breathing here seems like a big loss not just for the empire but for the continent.”

“I still have much to learn. I only wish to learn more by my father’s side, for the sake of the empire and our family.”

“Always so upright. Well, both you and I still need our parents’ shadows, don’t we?”

The prince laughed heartily, continuing their conversation.

“Still no word from Miss Alice?”

“…….”

The moment the prince mentioned Alice, Aschel’s brows slightly furrowed.

However, he did not show his discomfort and responded with a gentle smile.

“Really, wondering what she is up to is consuming me. Although she occasionally sends letters telling me not to worry, how can one not worry in the family’s position?”

“You’re good at making jokes. Do you think I don’t know what’s on your mind?”

Suddenly, the prince gestured with his finger to a knight standing by about 10 meters away.

Shortly after, the knight approached and presented a bottle of liquor.

“You’re similar to me. You feel the need for family, especially siblings, yet you never fully trust them. Their mere existence can be a threat, after all.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to say.”

“What could possibly be off-limits between you and me? Was his name Cyan? Your youngest brother.”

“……!”

The prince poured the liquor as if it was nothing.

“The Emperor has shown quite an interest in him. He even got assigned to the Royal Dormitory at the Academy, didn’t he? It’s not common for our father to intervene directly like that.”

The prince was smiling, but his feelings were complex.

It wasn’t that he envied Cyan per se.

It was because the privileges granted to Cyan were connected to a certain lady.

“Who knows, maybe in a few years, there will even be talk of an engagement, right?”

Drinking his cup, the prince let out his suppressed displeasure.

To this, Aschel filled the prince’s empty cup and said,

“Who knows? Perhaps with just a bit of watering, he might grow into a sturdy tree. Supporting the Fifth Princess to build her power isn’t a bad idea, in my opinion.”

“I didn’t expect you to say something like that.”

The prince replied, surprised.

“Well, of course, given your personality, you didn’t mean that in a good way. Are you suggesting I should use the tender princess?”

“Isn’t it better than others using her?”

The prince laughed heartily and drained the cup Aschel had filled for him.

“That’s right! Better I use her first than others! But for now, the Emperor is still strong. Probably can’t sleep thinking about her, eh? Wrapping up such a useless shell of a child in cotton wool…”

“It must be the privilege of the youngest.”

At the word ‘privilege,’ the prince shook his head.

“Well, time will tell. With the Quisel family and everything else on my side, including you, what is there to fear? I just need to patiently wait for the right time.”

Then, with another gesture into the air, a neatly dressed young knight brought over another bottle of liquor.

Seeing his face, Aschel raised his eyebrows and asked,

“Seems like you’ve changed your guard?”

“Ah? Yes! A gem I found during my recent visit to the slums.”

The knight, having placed the bottle down, bowed to Aschel and said,

“Boris L’Hellem.”

“…….”

Aschel stared at the knight’s face for a moment.

It didn’t take long before he spoke again.

“You’ve found a gem of the highest quality, it seems…”

A mysterious smile lingered on Aschel’s face as he looked at the knight.

(To be continued)