The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

It has already been two weeks since my sister returned to the academy.

She visited without a particular purpose, just to check in, so after seeing our father who is at the front lines, she went back immediately.

However, she did not come empty-handed; to Cranz, who was bedridden, she gave the precious bile of a polar bear, wishing him a speedy recovery.

The polar bear bile, a second to none tonic for physical strengthening…

Well, I received a gift too, but…

“Ugh, the smell! I still can’t get used to it!”

Emily put down the plate and immediately covered her nose.

The sight of the bubbling, reddish liquid was enough to upset anyone’s stomach.

But I, unbothered, picked up a spoon.

“Sir, do you really find this tasty?”

“Do you think I eat it because it’s tasty?”

“No matter that Lady Alice gave it as a gift… I’m sorry, sir! I’ll step out for a moment!”

Emily, finally unable to take it, covered her mouth and left the dining room.

Left alone, I started to empty the plate, holding back my anger.

The taste was not as bad as the smell suggested.

Having eaten worse, the reaction like Emily’s seemed unnecessary to me.

What my sister had given me was none other than the blood of a demonic beast, the ‘Hellhound’.

It is the essence of a demonic creature that inhabits the Lemea Valley, a frontline area.

Among the continent’s superstitions is the belief that human consumption of demonic creature blood can lead to a dramatic increase in physical abilities.

The rarity of demonic beasts, combined with the fact that frontline knights are generally strong, has led to this belief. Surprisingly, it is not just a superstition.

Demons, fundamentally, have physical abilities far superior to humans, partly because they consume demonic beasts as food, much like we consume cows and pigs.

However, the nutrients found in demonic beasts like the Hellhound are so rich and superior compared to those of Earth’s creatures that even a small amount can have a tremendous effect on growth.

This is actually the main reason why I want to go to the frontline.

To consume the blood and flesh of demonic creatures coming from the demon world and rapidly increase my physical strength.

Across my past and present lives, this is the fastest route for me to become stronger.

Moreover, since this fact is still dismissed as a myth by the public, it is like an untapped market for me.

But seeing this…

I carefully observed the blood on the spoon.

The unique, bitter, and rich taste of Hellhound blood.

It matched the taste I remembered from my past life.

First off, my sister Alice tends to believe in superstitions quite readily.

She is the type to buy anything touted as beneficial for the body without even verifying its truthfulness.

So, initially, I thought this was just another scam she had fallen for.

But to think that the blood of a demonic beast was being traded in the black market…

Is that not underestimating demonic creatures too much?

However, after deciding to try it as if I was being fooled, it turned out not to be a scam.

I know the taste of Hellhound blood.

Not just the blood, but I have also eaten its flesh several times.

Based on that experience, this was indeed the genuine essence of a Hellhound.

Who would have thought that the blood of demonic creatures was being circulated openly, albeit secretly?

If there is a source, it is likely someone related to the frontline.

Since I could not just let this go, I decided to look into it further.

After finishing the plate, I got up from my seat.

“Where are you heading, sir?”

Emily entered with impeccable timing.

“For a walk.”

“Going to the back mountain again? If you’re going to practice swordsmanship, wouldn’t the training ground be better?”

“I’m going for physical exercise. Prepare something cool for me to drink when I return.”

Emily waved goodbye, telling me to take care.

Though I said that, I hoped she would prepare something edible this time.

I left the mansion, crossed the backyard, and entered the forest path that led to the mountain.

I had been waiting for this moment for two weeks.

Due to Yulken’s surveillance, I had been making pointless trips until now, but today, he was away for a regular report.

Meaning, at this time, there were no eyes on me.

I could not miss this golden opportunity.

Had I climbed for about an hour?

I arrived near the summit, where a wide clearing appeared.

It had been a long time since I visited this place.

When I was being treated like cold rice at home, wanting to escape everyone’s gaze, I would run away to this spot daily.

But back then, I did not know.

That beneath here lay a tremendous treasure…

I closed my eyes gently and searched the surrounding energy.

The natural flow of mana subtly spreading through nature was concentrating in one place.

There, exactly what I was searching for existed.

Twenty steps to the north, then turn left for ten steps, and finally turn towards 1 o’clock for two big steps…

After completing my detection, I immediately headed to the specified location.

An empty wasteland.

A place with not a single sign that anything was hidden there.

But to my eyes, it was visible.

there was a space of endlessly swirling mana right beneath where I stood.

Without hesitation, I placed my hand on the ground.

-Woong

I gathered the mana inherent within my body and transferred it outward.

“…”

There seemed to be a weak response.

If that is the case, I need to infuse even more mana.

-Woong

Still no response?

This is more troublesome than I thought.

A mage specializing in earth magic would have opened it in an instant; is this due to the difference in attributes?

Even after increasing the amount of mana to the highest level, only a faint vibration emanated from the ground, with no other changes.

It seems there are limits to what this body can do.

But that does not mean I am out of options.

I placed my hand against the ground once again.

-Swoosh!

A black aura flowed from my hand into the ground. The aura soon merged with the mana previously transferred, causing a resonance and a different vibration to begin.

I stepped back to observe the change.

-Kugugung

Cracks started to form in the ground.

The cracks spread like veins, and at the breaking point, they collapsed mercilessly.

As the dust settled, stairs leading below the broken ground surface became visible.

Without hesitation, I went down the stairs.

At the end of the stairs was a long corridor.

Despite being an underground space where no light should penetrate, the area was surprisingly clear, as if light was hiding within it.

The flow of mana continued along the corridor.

Meaning, something that gathers mana is located at the end of this path.

It feels different from the last time I was here.

It is like the feeling of going to retrieve a toy hidden long ago.

Simply put, this place is a temple.

Now buried underground and turned into a forgotten ruin, but hundreds of years ago, it housed an altar dedicated to the god of light, ‘Lumendel’.

Why is such an important place behind my house?

It is just a coincidence.

After the ‘Divine-Demonic War’ 300 years ago, all history was erased, leaving no means to know the past,

So, whether this temple is in the backyard of a mansion or behind a latrine where one defecates makes no difference.

It is merely a remnant of forgotten history that happened to be discovered.

Of course, I am likely the only person who knows of this place at the moment.

Had I walked for about 10 minutes?

At the end of the corridor, a golden light flickers.

The light becomes brighter as the distance closes, and it is swirling with drawn mana.

I see it.

The master of this temple.

A silver altar built with two steps and a golden longsword embedded at its center.

It emits a radiant light, unfading like the sun itself, as if the vibrant energy of life is singing.

However, to me, it only brings a sense of discomfort.

The Holy Sword Durandark.

A legendary relic blessed by the god of light, Lumendel.

A divine weapon that only saviors capable of drawing forth the warm light of life from the cold darkness could possess.

Salvation, my foot…

More likely a sword for traitors who stab others in the back.

Ah, since I was openly stabbed in the heart, I was not exactly stabbed in the back, was I?

Anyway, it is an object that can never bring me any joy.

In my past life, the one who possessed this sword was none other than Aschel Vert.

Meaning, this sword was the one that pierced my heart.

Because of this sword, I lost everything I had built up in my past life, and my very reason for living was denied.

So, how could I possibly look at this sword fondly?

Ah, thinking about the past is just going to ruin my mood.

I should quickly achieve my real goal and leave.

Otherwise, I feel like I might die consumed by this shitty energy.

I walked past the holy sword towards where its shadow fell.

Regrettably, my goal was not this sword.

It is not that I could not pull it out, but what would I do with such a large thing with my tiny body, and where would I hide it?

Besides, it is unnecessarily bright, just painfully blinding to look at.

Why would I need to use the sword that pierced my heart?

Better to avoid it for being unclean.

People naturally gravitate more towards things they are familiar with.

What I was searching for was exactly such a thing.

Behind the altar where the holy sword was embedded, its shadow stretched long.

Where there is light, there always follows a dark shadow.

This has been a law of nature since the moment the world was created.

However, ignorant humans ignore the existence of that shadow, always chasing after the bright light.

Just look at this temple to understand.

Whether in the past or now, while the world may have changed, humans have not.

My feet stand firmly over the stretched shadow.

I gently bent down, bringing my hands close to the shadow.

-Woong

The shadow of the holy sword swirled like a whirlpool.

As if drawing a human figure, the shadow freely changed its form.

Then, after a moment, the shadow finally stretched out long towards a specific place.

At its end, there was a black wooden door that had not been there just a moment ago.

-Creak

I naturally opened the door as if entering a room and stepped inside.

Beyond the door was darkness itself, devoid of any light, filled with an indistinct mist rising from nowhere.

In the center of the room was another altar similar to the one where the holy sword was embedded.

A different, cozy feeling compared to when I faced the holy sword.

Intoxicated by that feeling, a smile naturally formed on my face.

I moved forward through the mist and came face to face with another sword resting on the altar.

A sinister dagger with a short, purple blade.

Without hesitation, I grabbed the hilt of the dagger.

-Kugugung

The surroundings resonated loudly, but there was no need to panic.

Where there is treasure, guardians of that treasure are usually present.

The same goes for this sword. Moreover, for me, the guardian was more than welcome.

[Giggle giggle giggle…]

An unsettling female laughter filled the entire space.

Soon after, strange mist rose from somewhere in the room, wrapping around the dagger and me.

Then, an unidentified black soul emerged from the dagger.

The soul soon transformed into a seductive woman with long, flowing black hair.

[Ah! How long has it been since I’ve tasted the outside air? It’s so thrilling!]

The woman, who had been taking deep breaths, soon noticed me holding the hilt of the dagger.

[What’s this, a little chick? A kid? Did you really awaken me?]

“As you see…”

I replied, unfazed.

[Kyaha! Such a young lad losing his mind, how cute. Do you even know what you’ve done? Do you know what happens when you awaken me?]

“That this dagger becomes mine?”

[Wrong! Your body becomes mine! Kyahahaha!]

The soul licked her lips and then soared into the air, quickly descending to pounce on me.

Hmm…

I was not this unprepared in my past life, was I?

-Click

[Gah!]

Fluidly, as if flowing water, I grabbed her by the throat.

Her sharp nails seemed ready to claw me at any moment, but they merely rowed through empty air.

“Even so, should you bite the hand of your master?”

The soul’s bewildered gaze met my smiling face.

(To be continued)