The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

As the spell was cast, mist rose from the magic sword, enveloping its owner’s body in an embrace.

An ominous energy, not of this world.

Cyan, having manifested the magic sword, was no longer human.

It seemed more accurate to regard him as a human-turned-magic sword.

His hands and feet trembled, his breathing quickened, and he felt as if his nerves were freezing, yet Boris’s face was inexplicably filled with ecstasy.

He might appear mad, but he was deeply immersed in a thrill he had never experienced before.

The deadly intent that seemed to tear him apart any moment, and the exhilaration that came with it.

Cyan Vert, who was he?

Who could he be that stimulates his curiosity so?

He was driven mad by the desire to explore the unknown interior hidden behind that dark misty veil.

-Tat!

Having unified with the magic sword, Cyan finally charged towards Boris.

A miraculous speed that was hard to believe as human movement.

Any ordinary human would have been helplessly decapitated.

But Boris knew.

The owner of the magic sword would never easily kill him.

The clear emotion of vengeance in those eyes proved it.

He didn’t know why, but it didn’t matter.

That was something he could find out in due time.

Even if he had to draw out all his magic power, or even resort to the yet unrefined magic of the scriptures,

He must explore the existence that is Cyan Vert….

[Stop.]

Just as his desire was about to erupt,

An inner voice halted the surging emotions.

[Retreat now.]

Boris doubted his ears.

“What do you mean? The owner of the magic sword is right in front of us, why should we….”

[You are not capable of confronting him.]

Hearing a firm and severe voice, Boris could no longer continue.

The supreme soul of the scripture, visible only to him, had appeared at some point, looking at the owner of the magic sword with a displeased gaze.

[Aer. You were hiding something far more dangerous than I thought….]

His voice was filled with not curiosity, but negative emotions.

* * *

Just when it seemed like he was chanting something, a magic circle was drawn beneath his feet.

I know what this is.

Escape magic.

Why did he talk big, only to resort to escape magic now?

It’s so astonishing that I’m at a loss for words.

-Thunk!

Just as I was about to cut off his arms that were gathering mana, something thin and transparent blocked my way.

“It’s a pity. I wanted to enjoy a bit more conversation with you, Cyan. But unfortunately, it seems we must part ways here.”

Part ways? Who decided that?

Does he think I’ll just let him go?

Especially him, of all people?

-Crack!

The mana barrier he had erected began to crack.

He managed to create a rather strong wall in such a short time, but it’s nothing to me.

-Crash!

The moment the wall broke, I didn’t hesitate to rush at him again.

“Ma, Marionette!”

Dolls that were lying around like soaked laundry suddenly stood in front of me, pretending to be guards.

It’s so pitiful it’s laughable.

-Skrrt!

To make sure they couldn’t get up and charge again, I tore them apart right there.

The dolls, torn into dozens of pieces, couldn’t maintain their shape any longer and vanished into dust.

“How- how could the curse…?”

Curse? What curse?

Did he really wish my body would be torn apart like those dolls?

Such a shallow curse has no effect on me.

-Poof!

A precise inch above from his heart.

At last, I delivered the first blade of revenge I had longed for since my previous life to him.

“Argh!”

The thrilling meeting of the cold blade with his hot flesh made him scream.

Exhilarating.

Was there ever a time during the thousands, tens of thousands of stabs that felt this good?

An indescribable exhilarating pleasure wraps around my whole body.

[You’re late.]

Kaeram’s words added a finishing touch.

“Hehe…”

As if he heard her, he gave a meaningful smile.

-Swoosh

Suddenly, the completed magic circle emitted a blue light, and his body began to fade.

So, the grand act of invoking the power of the gods was merely to flee?

“I shall see you next time, Cyan Vert…”

Was I too faithful to my emotions?

I, who had never missed a target, was about to let my archenemy from my past life escape right before my eyes.

Ah, how annoying.

-Crack!

“Aaaah!”

I twisted the inserted Kaeram mercilessly.

I still remember.

While the holy sword’s light pierced my heart, that damn look in your eyes and that of your demon offspring!

From the beginning, you knew everything, and I was merely being used, mocked!

But now, the tables have turned.

I know the filthy insides of you and that demon.

But you know nothing about me.

What I’m thinking, what power I hold, you have no idea.

If you’re so consumed by curiosity, you’d want to know everything about me madly.

So, keep doubting and wondering!

By the time you truly gain power and understand the existence that is me,

I will have already completed the worst gift of despair I can give you!

So, until then.

I hope you keep your neck clean.

“Aaaah!”

With a scream that seemed to tear apart, Boris finally vanished from my sight.

* * *

I calmed my boiling emotions by closing my eyes for a moment.

The thought that he should have installed a magic-suppressing barrier first to prevent the villain from using magic crossed his mind, but he immediately shook his head, dismissing it as pointless.

[What a shame. I thought I’d finally found a worthy opponent after so long…]

Kaeram expressed her regret with a sigh, seeing me like that.

I couldn’t help but retort in disbelief.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

[About what?]

“That the owner of the scripture was here. You must have known from the beginning, right?”

It made no sense that a divine artifact couldn’t recognize another divine artifact.

Kaeram definitely knew from the start but chose not to say anything.

She spoke, looking at a distant mountain as if answering was too bothersome.

[Why bother with such details? Wouldn’t it only tire you out? Haven’t you heard that it’s better to focus on the present rather than dwelling on the past?]

Trying to gloss over it, are we?

From her uncomfortable expression, it was clear there was some reason she couldn’t disclose.

Deciding to ponder on this matter later, I turned my head back towards where the clan leader was.

The members who had temporarily retreated were quickly returning and proceeding with the cleanup.

During this time, the clan leader, with her arms crossed, stared at me, silently signaling for me to come closer.

I shrugged and approached as requested.

“Do you want to speak first? Or shall I?”

Either way, there was much to discuss.

Though given the choice to speak at my convenience, I honestly hadn’t yet organized my thoughts on what to say first.

“It seems you have a lot you want to say, but you’re not sure where to start, are you?”

The clan leader had accurately picked up on my inner thoughts.

“Then let me be the first to ask. Did you manage to take care of that urgent task you had to attend to?”

“Yes, well, sort of…”

I found myself averting my gaze as I replied.

“Didn’t you say it would take about ten days? I’m actually a bit disappointed you returned sooner. I had planned to finish up around the time you got back…”

Whether it was premeditated or spontaneous, the clan leader seemed to have been intent on killing Boris all along.

Otherwise, there would have been no reason for her to reveal her sword-wielding true face.

“It just happened that way. I felt I had to return sooner for some reason.”

I glanced subtly towards where Kaeram was, but she didn’t react.

“Regardless of the reason, it doesn’t seem right to just smile and wave it off. I expected he wasn’t just an ordinary scholar, but I never imagined that he was the holder of the scripture.”

The ‘Black Fog of Greed’ summoned by the clan leader is a spell powerful enough to neutralize even a 9-star sage’s magic under certain circumstances.

I dare say, there are probably less than five people on this continent who could survive being consumed by that fog.

As for whether it would work on the owner of the scripture,

Honestly, I’m not sure.

The Scripture of Hiskrea.

Though I momentarily dismissed it as a repulsive piece of paper, I know better than anyone the power held by the divine artifact.

The divine power that surpasses the limits of humanity that have been set from the beginning of time.

It’s uncertain since when he possessed the Holy Scripture, and to what extent he could wield and control its power, but judging by the amount of magic power that was manifested from the light of the Holy Scripture at that time…

It might have been the leader, not Boris, who would have been consumed.

The leader must have known this as well.

Yet, she did not hesitate.

She must have been driven by the singular resolve to kill Boris.

And if you ask why,

It would obviously be because of me.

“I wish you wouldn’t look at me with such eyes. Haven’t I said it? I can’t stand to see you in danger. As an instructor, I’ll make an effort for a pleasant academy life for the student. There shouldn’t be any problem with that, right?”

She always spoke like this.

Before, now, and in the future as well.

No matter what danger comes my way, she will continue her cleansing operations for me.

Knowing this all too well,

I just couldn’t smile at the moment.

“Won’t you ask me more?”

“What do you mean?”

“Anything.”

The reason Boris came to the academy was very consistent.

To find the existence of the fog that threatens the light.

Though I’m not sure where it started, he had suspected me from the beginning.

It was entirely up to me to resolve, but with my sister’s urgent matter at hand, I had no choice but to postpone it.

Still, to prevent any possible issues, I had temporarily evacuated Brian and his group elsewhere,

But ultimately, this situation arose because of me.

It was something to be questioned about, something to be pursued,

Yet, she consistently doesn’t ask me anything.

“Seeing a student force a question with such twisted eyes is a first for me. What does our student Cyan wish I would ask?”

She began to walk towards me, gradually closing the distance between us.

“The reason you possess perfect power as a successor?”

“…”

“Or, how you found the demonic sword that even Lord Aer himself did not know the location of?”

“…”

“Or, why you have such extreme hatred for your blood-related family?”

Did she already know all of that?

Of course, she has been meticulously watching over me from one to ten, so she must have already completed such preliminary investigations.

-Click-

Just when I thought we were in for a serious conversation, she suddenly patted my head.

“I told you before, didn’t I? I won’t ask you anything…”

“Nothing at all? Even if I were to do something?”

The leader nodded her head without a second’s hesitation.

Knowing there wasn’t a speck of falsehood in her words, my feelings were indescribably mixed.

‘There’s nothing more dangerous than blind trust.’

Why does that stupid deity’s saying come to mind all of a sudden?

It’s not that the leader has blind trust in me.

Because I am the successor,

It is based on that absolute reason she holds a justified trust in me.

Yes, that’s right.

Then, wouldn’t it be alright to add a little more foundation to that trust?

I lifted my head once again to meet her eyes.

“I have already lived one lifetime.”

“…?”

The leader’s smile froze in an instant.

“In that lifetime, I had met you as well.”

Interesting.

Have I ever seen the leader this flustered in all my current life?

I hope she doesn’t get angry.

(To be continued)