The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

While Cyan and Hastia were discussing prophecies, Elphyris and Garnian visited another ice cave in the northern part of the village, where the saintess was held captive.

Nephrodite, trapped behind icy bars, grinned the moment she saw them.

Observing her expression, Elphyris asked indifferently, “Your name was Nephrodite, wasn’t it?”

As the veil fell from her face, the sharply pointed ears of an elf were clearly visible.

“Though the aura is certainly that of our kin, during my lifespan of over a hundred years, I have never seen a name or face like yours among our people,” Elphyris remarked.

A sly laugh escaped from Nephrodite’s lips.

“Are you sure your memory is accurate? Just because you might not have seen, doesn’t mean I don’t exist.”

“I stake my elder’s honor on it; there is definitely no member of our clan like you. It must be one of two possibilities: either you are not of our kind, or you have hidden your true face behind a mask…”

Elphyris leaned more towards the latter possibility.

The complexity of the magic formula emanating from her upper body was such that even an elder like himself found it difficult to comprehend.

“That mask, whoever placed it on you, looks difficult to remove right now. We do not wish to harm you unnecessarily; wouldn’t it be easier if you just spoke the truth?”

“I am a messenger who conveys the voice of the gods, answering only to the divine call. You will hear no truth from me!” Nephrodite declared.

Elphyris clicked his tongue.

“Whether you are brainwashed or have some other scheme, it’s clear you are not in your right mind. Regardless, now that our prophet has foreseen your future, you will never leave this place again.”

-Bang!

In frustration, Nephrodite violently shook the bars of her cell.

“I am under the protection of the divine! Prophecies of the White Elves are nothing compared to His revelations! Soon, He will bestow upon me another revelation!”

The expressions of Elphyris and Garnian darkened.

Despite once being of the same kin, it was unsettling for them to see her so deteriorated.

“Elder!”

Just then, another elf who had been waiting outside the cave rushed in.

“The humans have appeared again!”

“To Pruina as well?”

“Yes! They have already reached the vicinity of the village! We must flee…!”

Before the elf could finish, Garnian dashed past him toward the village.

“Protect the prophetess as a priority! Evacuate her from the village!”

“Yes!”

Having given his orders, Elphyris looked back at Nephrodite.

She was extending her hand outside the cave, where light seeped through, laughing bizarrely as if beckoning for salvation.

With a shake of his head in pity, Elphyris quickly followed Garnian outside.

Left alone, Nephrodite shouted into the void.

“O Divine One! Grant me a revelation! I do not wish to wait foolishly for salvation!”

However, in the empty space, no reply could be expected.

Nephrodite continued to talk to herself regardless.

“Even if it’s anything, tell me something so I can spread the divine teachings to these ignorant beings! Do not abandon me like this…”

‘Saintess.’

Her earnest plea resonated in her mind.

‘I will assign you a new task.’

“Please, anything! I will do whatever it is!”

After nearly three years, a new revelation came.

Thrilled and overwhelmed, her eyes bulged with fervor.

And soon, the revelation echoed in her mind.

‘Kill the prophetess.’

* * *

Up ahead, the Knights of Light stationed at the entrance of the village were visible.

Judging by their armor and weapons, they were undoubtedly Knights of Light, but their faces were all unfamiliar.

These were not the knights we had seen in the cave.

Perhaps a different squad?

Whether aware of this or not, the elves, vowing revenge for their kin, stepped forward in front of me.

“Do not interfere, human! We will handle the matters of our kin!”

Can they handle it, though?

I understand their sentiment, but it seems there are no elves here capable of facing these elite knights, except perhaps that warrior Garnian.

If we assume there are multiple invading forces of knights, then the group we saw earlier might have targeted Hastia, while the current group could be focusing on assaulting Pruina.

Yes, that makes sense, but…

Isn’t this a time for caution?

If they had heard about the retreat after losing the saintess, it would be wise to temporarily halt their mission and reassess their insufficient strength rather than openly exposing themselves like a band of reckless mercenaries.

“Everyone, stand back.”

Just then, Garnian appeared from within the village.

Although they told me not to intervene, including my strength with the elves here, it seems highly unlikely that this band of knights could conquer Pruina.

Even less likely is the possibility of reclaiming the saintess.

“Hastia, come this way!”

The other elves who had not engaged in battle were busy protecting Hastia.

During this, she reached out her hand to me.

It was a gesture to come with her.

That seemed like a better option.

It looked like Garnian alone would be sufficient here.

However, the other elves blocked this.

“Human! You should seek refuge elsewhere by yourself!”

Staying together would be much safer, wouldn’t it?

Still, I understand their wariness, being an outsider.

But if they weren’t going to involve me in the battle with the knights, it would be better to at least keep me by Hastia’s side.

However, the elves were resolute.

“The prophetess of our clan will be hidden in our secret refuge. It’s a place we cannot reveal to an outsider like you. Look after your own safety.”

With nothing more to say after their adamant refusal, Hastia seemed reluctant but ultimately followed the elves.

Excluded from the battle and with Hastia having fled for safety, what should I do now? Should I just watch the confrontation between the Knights of Light and the White Elves for control of Pruina?

I might want to, but the Knights of Light stationed at the village entrance showed no signs of moving. With the knights not advancing, the elves merely held their positions, eyeing them warily.

[What are they doing?] Kaeram couldn’t help asking.

I felt the same curiosity.

Unless they were waiting for reinforcements, merely dragging out the time seemed pointless. The elves’ defenses would only solidify further, and Hastia would become safer.

There’s only one conclusion: there must be another group infiltrated in Pruina aside from this band of knights.

Leaving the tense group of elves behind, I quietly headed deeper into the village.

The evacuated village was eerily quiet.

Minimizing my presence, I stayed close to houses and walls, listening for any signs of others.

Thud thud.

Not far off, I heard footsteps.

Not the heavy sound of metal boots, but the lighter tap of leather shoes.

These were not the sounds of elves, who tread barefoot even on the icy ground.

And there was a faint, familiar trace of light magic.

“Could it be…”

I quickly ran toward the source of the noise.

Rounding a corner by a wall of ice in the middle of the path, a group of unfamiliar humans in white hoods appeared.

Without hesitation, I plunged my blade into the neck of the lead human.

Fwoosh!

He collapsed without a scream.

I immediately targeted the rest.

They quickly activated their magic in that swift moment.

“Light, protect me!”

Thump!

A light-based defensive magic, ‘Barrier of Light’.

A transparent silvery shield blocked Kaeram’s blade, and I took a step back and asked.

“Who are you?”

They didn’t respond.

I asked again.

“Are you here to rescue the saintess?”

Again, there was no answer.

No matter how I looked at them, they certainly weren’t from the Knights of Light.

Judging by their robes, they seemed like mages from the Imperial Magic Academy, but something about their demeanor was off.

The mages soon extended their hands towards me in unison.

It seemed as if they had prepared a spell for such an occasion, chanting an incantation that I couldn’t understand.

-Whoosh!

Suddenly, I felt an invisible surge of magical power from beneath my feet.

The magic power that had quickly converged into a single point formed a circular magic circle, emitting heat.

Then, they quickly stepped back and exclaimed,

“Let the light’s judgment redeem the wicked!”

Chains of white light erupted from the magic circle and assaulted me.

An eight-star light attribute magic, Bonds of Redemption.

It was a high-level magic used by the senior knights in the Vellias frontline area.

For the moment, I swung Kaeram around to brush off the chains.

Then, I felt a heat above my head.

-Whoosh!

Following the light attribute, now it was a fire attribute magic.

I, too, raised my opposite hand above my head, releasing magical power.

-Swoosh!

A dense wave of dark attribute magic swallowed the flames.

While they weren’t too tough to handle, their coordination was alarmingly good.

As I was pondering over their identities,

I felt my legs, planted in the snow, becoming extremely heavy.

The white chains I had shaken off had somehow coiled around my ankles again.

Wow, this is no joke.

Thinking it was about time for a major attack, I immediately prepared my defenses and watched the front.

“……”

But having created such a favorable condition for attack, none of the mages cast any further spells.

It was as if maintaining the current state was exactly what they wanted.

I finally realized.

These mysterious mages were currently,

Simply stalling for time.

It seems that the naive elf is in danger again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hastia, who was desperately fleeing under the protection of her clan, only realized where she had arrived when the elves brought her to their destination.

‘…?’

It was an odd place to call a refuge.

“Why have we come here?”

She asked, holding the hand of a fellow clan member, but none of the elves responded.

Instead, a voice from ahead spoke.

“How merciful…”

Hastia shivered at the familiar yet chilling voice.

“Not only have you given me another chance, but you’ve also prepared the stage like this. The grace of God is indescribably magnificent!”

Nephrodite emerged from the darkness of the cave.

Supposed to be locked in an ice prison, she had freed herself from her shackles and was slowly approaching Hastia.

‘Why?’

Unlike the startled Hastia, the other elves showed no reaction.

Hastia then noticed the condition of the elves who had brought her.

Their eyes were unfocused and red.

They were clearly not in their right minds.

‘Magic?’

-Thud!

Nephrodite, who had approached unnoticed, grabbed Hastia’s hand.

“Do you think it’s magic? No! These elves have also received the divine revelation like me!”

Hastia did not believe her.

Even without any knowledge of magic, it was clear to her that they were under some kind of mind-control spell.

‘Ah, do you still seek the power of my prophecy?’

“Power? I don’t need such things! What I want is your life, Hastia!”

Nephrodite used her other hand, not holding Hastia, to caress her pale cheek.

“He commanded it. Kill the prophet! That’s why I will kill you and leave this place with the help of these enlightened elves!”

Hastia shook her head.

‘No. You cannot do that. The future I have seen for you has not changed yet.’

Nephrodite’s face, previously smiling broadly, contorted suddenly.

“The future? Your so-called prophecy is nothing compared to the divine revelation! You think I won’t be able to leave the frostlands alive? Ridiculous! I will return to the empire with the lovely head of Hastia! Then…”

-Ssssh

Suddenly feeling a chill at the back of her neck, Nephrodite turned around.

A faint mist-like presence popped and disappeared in the air.

It couldn’t be.

Laughing off her suspicion, Nephrodite then felt something strange about the hand she was holding.

“……?”

It wasn’t the delicate and cold hand of an elf.

It was a rough and hot hand of a human…

Nephrodite turned around.

“Now that I think about it, I might not have told you this, my lady.”

Where Hastia should have been, instead, there stood a familiar assassin with a grin filled with thrill.

“Cy-Cya……”

At a loss for words, Nephrodite couldn’t even call out his name.

“Do you know those voices you sometimes hear in your head, my lady?”

Cyan continued, indifferent.

“That’s not a revelation!”

(To be continued)