The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

Tranquil sunlight and clouds flow across the blue sky.

Lush forests and clear, flowing valleys.

Although it’s a completely ordinary scene of nature, it could be a very interesting sight for some.

“Look, Papa! That’s so amazing!”

Nana can hardly take her eyes off the window.

It must be a fresh experience for her.

Even though I’ve taken her for walks from time to time, this is her first time coming this far.

“Do you remember what I told you, Nana?”

“Of course! I’m Papa’s maid now! I learned from the book how a maid should behave towards her master!”

What kind of book did she read to learn that?

Honestly, I was a bit worried that her mind might not be as developed as her body, but it doesn’t seem to be a big problem.

Just looking at her sitting right now, she’s not acting like an immature child but adopting the posture of a mature young lady.

She’s naturally smart like me, but she seemed to have matured even more.

Is this the joy of raising a child?

-Thud thud thud

Suddenly, the carriage began to slow down.

I leaned out of the window towards where Brian was sitting in the driver’s seat.

“What’s happening?”

“It seems there’s something ahead.”

As he spoke, I felt a strange energy from the front.

About 7 or 8 people.

They were evenly split on both sides of the forest path.

Bandits, it seems.

A carriage passing through a secluded forest and bandits aiming to loot it.

A very common event wherever you go.

Normally, a noble’s carriage would be accompanied by several knights for protection, but the only one with me now was Brian, who was driving the carriage.

It would actually be foolish not to target such an unprotected “honey pot”.

-Squeak

Finally, as Brian stopped the carriage and got off the horse, he said,

“I’ll handle this quickly, young master.”

Then, he naturally drew his sword and moved forward.

I, too, leaned back inside the carriage, just waiting for the matter to be resolved.

“What’s happening, Papa?”

“Seems like some bugs have gathered. Brian will take care of it.”

-Swish

From beyond the window, the merciless sound of slicing could be heard.

One might think he was cutting fruit if they heard it.

Not even a single scream or the sound of someone gasping for breath could be heard.

“It’s finished, Young Master! We will depart again now!”

In less than a minute, Brian sat back in the driver’s seat and started the carriage.

Peering out through the window, I could see the neatly severed bodies of the bandits that were scattered haphazardly.

Not only had Nana experienced rapid growth over the past two years, but Brian too had now grown into a full-fledged knight.

After all, it would have been strange if he hadn’t grown after being pushed so hard.

Starting with basic physical conditioning to swordsmanship, martial arts, and even the application of magic, he achieved a level of growth in just two years that couldn’t be attained even with any master’s teaching.

The dragon’s blood he consumed back then played a big part.

It really enhanced his physical abilities in many ways.

For reference, Brian’s magic attribute was wind.

As an attribute proficient in fast and agile movement magic, it was also suitable for assassinations that took out enemies in the blink of an eye.

Now, there wouldn’t be any more incidents of being caught off guard and kidnapped.

How long had we been running?

At the point where the forest ended, I felt the familiar energy of fog.

Brian, sensing it too, gradually slowed down the carriage.

This time, I got off personally.

A man with long black hair and an eyepatch.

He was a member of the Mist.

-Bow

He bowed his head briefly to me and handed me a small envelope.

“This is a message from the leader.”

I immediately opened the envelope and checked the secret letter.

“Good. I’ve confirmed it.”

After carefully checking, I burned the secret letter right there.

The member bowed once again and then quickly left the spot.

I too got back on the carriage and resumed our journey to the imperial city.

While looking out the window, a mysterious smile formed on my lips.

“Papa, why are you smiling?”

Nana asked with a curious look in her eyes.

“Hm? Oh, just looking forward to something…”

Nana tilted her head, not understanding.

They say anticipation blooms when you imagine something completely unfamiliar, something you’ve never encountered before.

That’s exactly how I feel right now.

I’m not the only one from the Mist attending the banquet.

The leader, dressed up magnificently.

This is something I’m really looking forward to.

* * *

Under the overcast sky, in a tranquil space.

A lady was reading alone in her room when a maid approached her.

“Lady Silica, a little while ago, it was reported that Lord Cyan’s carriage entered the imperial city.”

“Who accompanied him?”

“One knight and a young maid.”

At the mention of a maid, she tilted her head in confusion.

“A maid? Cyan doesn’t have a maid, does he?”

“According to what I heard, she is a girl with pink hair, about ten years old.”

“Pink hair? Could he have brought Nana along?”

“It seems so.”

“Well, it’s better than leaving her alone at the academy, I suppose.”

However, the mention of a maid was somewhat puzzling.

The last time she saw Nana, she was just a six-year-old child, so the description of a girl about ten didn’t quite fit.

She decided to let it go for now.

“Here is the list of attendees for the banquet.”

The maid handed her a list filled with the personal information of numerous attendees.

Silica carefully checked the names on the paper.

Each one belonged to a prominent family from the empire or other countries.

Then, her brow furrowed slightly at a somewhat unexpected name.

“The granddaughter of Regens, the head of the academy, is coming too?”

“Yes. She is currently on her way to the empire with members of the Garam Kingdom’s Magical Academy.”

“That’s unexpected. I wouldn’t have thought the academy would send her…”

She wasn’t a person of significant interest in terms of their mission.

However, Silica’s face did not look too pleased as she reviewed the list.

“With so many important figures attending this banquet, if you find it inconvenient, perhaps postponing our operation might be advisable…?”

There were significantly more attendees than the previous year.

This naturally could only be detrimental to their operation’s progress.

“Yes, there’s no need to force ourselves into a clearly dangerous venture. Let’s just wait and see for now. We still have time before the banquet.”

“Yes, Lady Silica.”

“What’s that?”

Silica’s gaze suddenly turned to the maid’s left hand.

“Oh, this, this is a letter sent from Drenian…”

The maid seemed hesitant to hand it over, almost reluctant.

With a flick of her finger, Silica motioned for it, and the maid had no choice but to comply.

After reading the contents, Silica’s expression turned sour.

“Drenian Nephelis… He’s practically begging to be killed.”

The thought of postponing the operation that she had just considered vanished in an instant.

The determination to kill their target at the upcoming banquet was clear in Silica’s eyes, clenched fist and all, after reading the letter.

“Tell the members. Tell them to stay sharp and prepare well until the D-day. We will not be postponing.”

“Yes, Lady Silica.”

After completing her report, the maid left the room.

Silica, attempting to return to her reading, soon closed the book and looked out the window at the cloud-covered view.

The sky had been unusually gloomy lately.

It felt like a harbinger of some major event, adding to the melancholy atmosphere.

* * *

“Wow…!”

They say when people are too amazed, they can’t even exclaim, and that was exactly their reaction.

“Is- is this really a place where people live…?”

Brian was so astounded that his mouth hung open, almost inviting insects to fly in.

Yeah, when would you ever roam the streets of the imperial city?

It might be a blissful moment they might never encounter again in their lives.

For now, I intend to let them enjoy it more.

The capital of the Ushif Empire, Sevelinus.

The land where the first Emperor, Rashtadt Sevellus, laid the foundation of the nation.

For over hundreds of years, it was the foremost city responsible for the empire’s prosperity.

The glamorous and exquisite cityscape might remind one of the divine realms, luxurious as it is, but as is the case with cities that have flourished for a long time, they also tend to accumulate their share of rot within.

Meaning, it’s not entirely a beautiful city.

-Thud!

“Ouch!”

Wandering around the streets in curiosity, Nana eventually bumped into someone and fell over.

“I- I’m so sorry!”

She hurriedly got up and bowed, and the man she bumped into smiled kindly and said,

“It’s alright, little miss. Just be more careful where you’re walking next time.”

Usually, in such situations, it’s common for faces to turn sour and disputes to arise over the slightest provocation, but here, it was generously overlooked.

“Wow, Papa! People here seem really kind! There’s not a hint of anger on their faces!”

I stared intently at Nana, who was smiling brightly.

“Not really. It’s not always the case.”

I said, patting Nana’s head.

It seems unlikely anyone looking at you now would think you’re just a maid.

Everyone passing by glanced at Nana’s face at least once.

Her face could outshine even the children of the most noble families.

She could probably attend the banquet in my stead without any sense of incongruity.

“So, where should we go now, Young Master?”

There’s no need to head to the castle yet, not with two days left until the banquet.

“Let’s eat first since we’re hungry.”

We casually looked for the fanciest restaurant nearby and entered.

“Uh… will you be dining?”

Normally, the question would be “How many?”.

Perhaps my appearance, which didn’t seem particularly remarkable, prompted the remark from the person who appeared to be the owner.

I didn’t mind and pulled out a crest from my pocket, showing it to him.

“Three. Preferably in a secluded spot where there are not many passersby.”

The clerk was startled upon seeing the crest.

“Right away! Please follow me this way!”

Changing people’s attitudes isn’t hard.

Just show them where you stand.

In this land where status decides everything, it’s an utterly natural law.

I told the kids to order whatever they wanted from the menu.

Considering Nana’s appetite, it wouldn’t be surprising if she ended up ordering everything on the menu.

While waiting for the food, I pondered over our target for a moment.

Drenian Nephelis.

A member of the Nephelis county and the brother of the current empress.

In other words, the emperor’s brother-in-law.

This fact alone would allow him to enjoy considerable power in this country.

He’s in his late thirties, a widower with children but no wife.

Above all, he was notorious among the nobility for his vile pleasures.

An unspeakably repugnant philanderer of married women.

He targeted women who were married and had families, committing heinous sexual crimes against them, a man who was nothing short of a pig in human form.

Though he deserved death, given the power wielded by the imperial family, he was not an easy target to deal with.

The problem isn’t killing him.

It’s the aftermath that’s difficult.

Given his position, if it were revealed that we, the Mist, were behind Drenian’s death, the organization would inevitably turn the imperial family against us.

This would not only hamper our operations but likely result in a massive manhunt for members of the Mist across the empire.

The lord must have deliberated a lot over this purification mission.

It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s among the most dangerous missions we’ve faced so far.

However, the leader would never call off the mission.

I know the reason why.

Choosing the day of the banquet, when many dignitaries are gathered, was done for a reason.

-Clip-clop

Footsteps approached from around the corner.

I momentarily thought it was the clerk bringing the food.

But sensing an unusual mana presence, I quickly turned my head.

There was no murderous intent.

It was just that the aura emanating from the newcomer was extraordinary.

Soon, a strange girl in a blue robe stopped in front of our table.

She was about Nana’s height.

With a rigid gaze, she stared intently at my face.

“You are Cyan Vert… correct?”

(To be continued)