The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

As the new semester begins at the Royal Academy, most students who had declared a postponement of attendance are finally showing up, bringing the operation to a feasible level.

To date, about two-thirds of the students have completed their return compared to the previous semester, and this number is expected to normalize over time.

However, there was still one empty seat.

Regardless of the situation, it belonged to a particularly consistent student. A student who, despite loving to be at the academy so much that they wouldn’t budge even during vacations, paradoxically never appeared in class.

Arin found this peculiarly fascinating as she often caught herself looking at that empty seat.

At the end of the scheduled classes for the day, Arin immediately got up and headed towards the Royal Hall, where her dormitory was located, and incidentally, where the owner of the empty seat could be found.

“……!”

Upon reaching the main entrance of the Royal Hall, Arin encountered a familiar face.

“Senior Arin?”

It was Luna.

Caught off guard by the unexpected encounter, Arin hesitated for a moment.

“It seems you’ve finished your classes?”

“Yes, that’s right. But what brings you to the Royal Hall?”

Although she hadn’t asked her reason for being there yet, Arin had a hunch about why she had come.

“I came to see Senior Cyan.”

“By any chance, the reason is…?”

“No particular reason. I just wanted to see his face?”

Arin was at a loss for words at Luna’s expression, which seemed to question if there was a problem.

What was even more amusing was that none of the knights supposed to guard her were in sight.

“Did you come alone?”

“Yes. I dodged all of them. I didn’t see the need to bring my academy members just to meet senior.”

The more she saw of her, the more Arin couldn’t help but admire the girl.

“Did you also come to see Senior Cyan?”

“Uh? Well, yes! Since Cyan once again didn’t show up for class, I thought I might as well check on him…”

“I’m envious. I wish I could live near Senior Cyan like Senior Arin…”

Luna seemed genuinely envious.

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Getting to see his face is like trying to pick stars from the sky…”

Eventually, the two girls made their way to Cyan’s room together.

-Knock, knock

Despite the clear sound, there was no response from inside.

“It’s strange? Usually, Brian would have come out to greet me.”

Nine out of ten times she visited, Brian would welcome her.

She didn’t particularly expect him to be there this time either, but today it seemed like there was nobody in the room at all.

Just as she thought it strange and was about to knock again,

“The room is empty right now. There’s nobody there.”

A thick male voice came from behind her.

“Kyaa!”

Startled, Arin turned her head and screamed.

“What? Why are you screaming! Do I look like I’m about to throw someone out the window?”

He, too, shouted in surprise.

“Why- why are you doing that there!?”

“Why? I was just doing some perfectly normal ab exercises?!”

“Who in the world does ab exercises while hanging off a railing?”

“…?”

Luna wondered if she was seeing a normal scene right now.

A large man was looking at them, hanging upside down like a bat beyond the corridor window.

“Who- who is that person?”

At first glance, he didn’t seem like a student.

“You might have heard his name. Set Shaharkan…”

“The Prince of Sand?”

The first prince of the Kingdom of Spania.

From the time of his enrollment, he was assessed to have the highest level of potential, but now he was one of the students who attended classes the least, along with Cyan.

“Anyway, there’s nobody in that room right now. Cyan that guy has applied for a short-term leave of absence.”

It was unexpected news for Arin and Luna.

“A short-term leave? Suddenly like this? For what reason?”

“How would I know that?”

He, too, seemed disappointed by Cyan’s absence, sighing deeply.

“Really. I rushed here thinking we could have a sparring match, but he’s off enjoying his good luck. Maybe I should take a leave of absence too?”

However, unlike Cyan, further absences from class could result in suspension or worse for him.

“It’s so sudden without any word…”

The news was worrisome, but it also brought feelings of being left out.

What could have happened for him to disappear with his family?

Arin found it particularly regrettable that their feelings had not been fully shared yet.

“I feel a bit let down.”

Luna felt the same.

* * *

Emperor Dione typically did not come accompanied by a large guard contingent on his tours.

Even among the capital’s troops, in truth, there were not many knights who could match the Emperor’s strength directly.

To the extent that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the Emperor alone could protect all the escort troops, the Emperor’s power was formidable.

However, his children were different.

Though they inherited the Emperor’s blood, they still lacked much, thus necessitating a larger troop presence than usual for tours without the Emperor.

As the carriage arrived at the checkpoint, the royal family members, the Third and Fourth Princes, revealed themselves.

“Ah, to think we’d breathe the air of this filthy front again. Quite the nostalgic feeling.”

“Maintain your dignity, Nerobian. We’re not here to play.”

“Yes, yes, I’m aware.”

Contrary to the somewhat laid-back Fourth Prince Nerobian, the face of the Third Prince, Fabian, was full of determination.

They too had previously participated in a front-line tour with the Emperor.

The brothers grimaced at the atmosphere, no different from before.

Soon after, another member of the royal family made an appearance.

“How do you find it, sister? Your first time stepping into the frontline territory?”

It was the Second Princess, Violet Severus, the principal responsible for this tour.

“……”

She looked curiously and incessantly at the surrounding landscape, finding the lifeless and stark space both strange and fascinating.

“I really can’t understand. What on earth is Luinel thinking, entrusting this tour to sister Violet? It would be lucky if she doesn’t faint at the sight of demons.”

Despite Nerobian’s somewhat malicious remarks, Fabian did not particularly intervene.

Instead, as if he empathized with the comment, he looked at Violet with a face full of distrust.

“Why is it that only sister has so many troops attached to her?”

Unlike themselves, members of the same royal family, there were far more knights guarding the Second Princess.

“It’s said that the Quisel family has sent additional knights for sister Violet’s protection. Unlike the eldest brother, it seems they’re quite concerned about a bloodline that might meet an untimely end.”

Although the knights deployed on the tour were all part of the imperial forces, their origins were not the same.

Most of the knights guarding Princess Violet were from the Quisel family, her maternal side.

Upon the decision of the Second Princess’s tour, they were suddenly dispatched by the Quisel family, and there were rumors that Kundel, the power behind the family and the current head of the Royal Academy, had sent them.

“Does the surrounding atmosphere not discomfort you?”

A blond man with a deep voice approached the Second Princess.

“It’s just… new to me. It’s a strange place I’ve never experienced before.”

For her, akin to a greenhouse flower, the unfamiliar red sky was not unsettling or fearful, but she embraced the desolate air of the front without discomfort.

“It makes me reevaluate my position all over again. I must take responsibility for this tour and fulfill it without betraying the trust of Father and my brother.”

A firm resolution was evident on the Princess’s face.

The man bowed his head and replied.

“I will do my utmost to ensure the smooth progress of the Princess’s tour.”

Violet responded with a faint smile.

“Thank you, Aschel…”

* * *

Alice’s first mission received from the Knights of Light was this:

To protect the royal family during their state visits.

It was a kind of support mission, along with the imperial knights, in preparation for any unfortunate incidents that might occur.

The mission itself was a very honorable affair, but Alice couldn’t help but wonder.

There were plenty of troops stationed at the front, and the imperial guard was also abundant, so why was there a need for reinforcements?

If it was for just in case of the worst, then it could still be explained.

But there was one thing she simply could not understand.

“Why is Aschel here?”

Aschel had accompanied the Second Princess as part of her entourage.

Since there had been no prior interaction between them, it could be considered a very unexpected combination.

Had the First Prince, with whom he had a friendship, requested it?

Unlike the puzzled Alice, Duke Vert greeted the royal family with a face full of joy.

“It has been a long time. Seeing everyone grown so much would certainly make His Majesty very proud.”

“We are thankful to you for allowing our humble visit.”

Despite their high status, the princess and princes showed respect towards the duke, who was a guardian of the continent and a close friend of the Emperor.

In fact, even the appearance of the duke was strange to Alice.

Knowing the dangers of the front line better than anyone, he had not allowed anyone, including his own children, to enter unless they were knights of proven skill.

And yet, he so easily allowed a visit by the young children without the Emperor, which was uncharacteristic of the duke.

“Alice?”

Cecilia approached her.

“Could you come for a moment?”

She seemed to have something to say.

After a cautious glance towards where Aschel was, Alice followed her.

Behind the tents, where thick dust swirled.

Once she made sure no one was around, Cecilia whispered something into Alice’s ear.

Alice, unable to contain her reaction, exclaimed in surprise.

“Aschel asked my father directly for this task?!”

Cecilia raised her finger to her lips, signaling her to lower her voice, as Alice had spoken too loudly.

“Yes, he personally requested the Duke of Vert and Prince Luinel for permission to be a part of the entourage for Princess Violet’s diplomatic tour. In response, aware of this, Her Majesty the Empress sent Princes Fabian and Nerobian.”

“And the reason he volunteered?”

Cecilia silently shook her head.

It meant that she didn’t know that much either.

“There must be a reason for it, though….”

Alice sighed heavily, clutching her head.

“I’m just saying, but perhaps you’re worrying too much…. Maybe the Crown Prince, who is friends with Aschel, asked on his behalf?”

“I’d prefer that. I wish I was just overthinking this….”

Despite Cecilia’s concerns, Alice shook her head.

“But, it doesn’t seem like that….”

After the royal banquet, Alice’s suspicions about Aschel hadn’t dissipated, and this inexplicable behavior only heightened her anxiety.

“Something definitely seems wrong….”

But without knowing when or where things went wrong, Alice felt utterly dismayed.

‘Do you know something, Cyan?’

The image of the youngest, filled with a murderous aura, kept haunting her.

“You were here, Alice….”

“….!”

Instantly, Alice’s heart dropped, and she hurriedly looked up.

Sweat beads flowed incessantly between the armor and skin, as if her body reacted before her mind.

“B- Brother Aschel?”

It was Aschel, who had just been by the princess’s side.

Alice struggled to manage her expression, desperately suppressing her anxious heart.

Unlike the highly tense Alice, Aschel’s face looked very calm.

“Can we talk for a moment?”

(To be continued)