The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

A total of six people.

There was no sign of anyone having run away or hiding somewhere.

Since verification comes before dealing with the situation, I hurriedly approached the carriage.

[I thought you would spare at least one person. If you were going to kill everyone, why bother wearing a mask?]

Did I wear it because I wanted to?

Even though she was under a sleep spell, I thought she would be awake by now, so I wore it just in case.

But,

“……?”

I didn’t expect her to still be asleep.

Out of curiosity, I placed my hand over her face.

“…….”

She was sleeping so soundly that no one would notice if she was carried away.

It’s as if she was catching up on the deep sleep she hadn’t been able to get until now.

Despite releasing her from her bindings and removing the gag from her mouth, she didn’t move an inch until the end.

“Sigh…….”

With that, I took off my mask and exhaled the breath I had been holding.

However, there’s no time to leisurely gaze at her sleeping face.

I have things to do quickly and return.

I carefully laid Luna’s body down.

Then, I unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt to expose her chest area.

After that, I placed my fingers on it and closed my eyes.

-Woong

I cast the 6-star general magic spell “Searching.”

This magic injects mana into the target’s body to check their physical condition.

It’s an upgraded version of the ability she used to check my physical grade.

It was a spell I hadn’t used in a long time.

“…….”

I could feel it.

The mana was flowing through her entire body along with her blood.

However, it wasn’t flowing actively.

As mentioned before, something eerie was disrupting the natural flow.

As if chains were tightly wrapped around the blood vessels.

“This is it.”

Of course, she couldn’t live properly with something like this in her body.

Upon identifying the nature of the energy, I immediately opened my eyes.

[Why? What was it?]

“Heart Curve…….”

[Heart what?]

Kaeram seemed puzzled, unable to understand.

It’s not something he could know.

After all, this is one of the proud research outcomes of those obsessed with magic.

“To put it simply, it’s a device that suppresses human growth.”

An artifact that injects a mass of magical power the same size as the target’s heart, suppressing the growth of magical power.

Like vines entangled, her beating heart was chaotically entwined with dark, grim tendrils.

[It suppresses growth?]

She must think it doesn’t make sense.

Surely, the chairman of the Rigens Academy had a firm goal to place his granddaughter at the pinnacle of magic.

For this purpose, he would have treated her like an experimental subject, thrusting her into various experiments to spur the growth of her magical abilities.

To have an inhibiting device in her, of all people.

It would be understandable to curse at the absurdity.

The ironic part is that the entity likely responsible for implanting this artifact is none other than the Garam Society.

[Who implanted this?]

“Obviously, the society.”

[Why would they do that?]

They probably intended to use it not as an inhibitor but for storage purposes.

If a gently flowing river continues to flow, there’s no problem.

But what if at some point its flow is blocked and suppressed?

Since it’s impossible to completely stop the natural flow, the water that couldn’t flow will gradually accumulate and swell.

And what if it’s released at some point?

It would burst out explosively.

The aftermath in an instant would cause chaos around.

This is probably what Garam Society wanted.

With the artifact called Heart Curve, they suppress the flow and growth of her mana.

They continue to inject magical power into this unstable body.

When the state reaches its peak, they release the inhibiting device, making the accumulated potential explode.

Is it possible?

Well? I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know.

However, I’m well aware of what they must have done to realize this.

Through tens, hundreds of human experiments, they would have tried to apply the most suitable route to her.

Probably, Luna in her previous life couldn’t withstand this and died.

This is, strictly speaking, not an act of growing the vessel but breaking it.

Kaeram looked somewhat perplexed, making an awkward expression.

[So if we leave this as is, she’s going to die eventually, right?]

“That’s right.”

[Then what are you going to do about it?]

I haven’t decided yet.

In fact, what Kaeram told me about psychic empathy was irrelevant to this.

It was merely a plot by a faction opposing the Garam Society, who heard about her unauthorized outing and planned to kidnap her, disguising themselves as society members.

They intended to take her to their hideout somewhere in the Garam Kingdom and experiment on her to their liking.

By now, the real society members probably realize the truth and are rushing over, albeit belatedly.

So why did I help Luna?

Nothing special.

It was just that ignoring this, knowing about it, would bring a bothersome backlash.

Since she was kidnapped right after meeting me, it was natural that the blame would come to me.

If I just did some basic cleanup and left her safe, nothing would change.

Yes, my job here is done, and now I just need to leave…

“Sigh…”

I sighed involuntarily.

If that were the case, I wouldn’t have come in the first place.

I manifested mana in my hand once again.

-Giiing

Below the left chest, between the sternum and the spine.

Like putting my hand into water, my hand, filled with mana, was sucked into her heart.

-Tududuk

It was tougher than I thought.

Like tearing vines entangled around a tree, I harshly ripped out the black tendrils wrapped around the heart.

-Whooosh

The torn remnants were immediately burned and eradicated on the spot.

Once the core of the artifact, which had clung on till the end, was completely detached and destroyed, the heart began to throb with renewed vigor.

[Where did the person who said they weren’t a savior go?]

Kaeram was mocking me while looking quite amused.

I said nonchalantly.

“I just paved the way. Nothing more.”

With the Heart Curve gone, her lifespan has significantly extended.

She might not realize it immediately, but gradually, she’ll feel it herself, that her body has changed.

Then, naturally, her mind will also change.

With an extended lifespan and possibilities, what can she do?

Will she continue to whittle herself down within the confines of the society, or will she break out of the fence and forge a different path?

What happens next is entirely up to her.

Who knows?

If she carves out her own potential, she might actually fulfill the society chairman’s wish of reaching the pinnacle of magic.

After all, no one knows whether a sprouted seed will become a flower or a tree.

* * *

“……!”

Waking from her sleep, Luna gasped for air as if she had just experienced a nightmare.

Unknowingly, her hand went to her heart.

But there was no discomfort.

Instead, compared to before she fell asleep, she felt considerably more relieved.

After a brief moment of daze, Luna finally looked around her surroundings.

Her belongings were scattered around, and a cold breeze was coming in from one side.

Just as she was about to deduce she was inside a carriage and step out,

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, part of the space outside seemed to ripple as if a droplet of water had fallen.

“A barrier?”

It was a barrier created by magic.

Drawn by curiosity as if pulled towards it, Luna lightly touched the barrier.

-Ding

The barrier rippled like a wave and then immediately disappeared.

With that, Luna cautiously stepped outside.

“I found you!”

At the same time, she heard urgent shouts and footsteps directed at her.

Squinting, she recognized the faces of the society members.

“Are you alright, Lady Luna?”

They immediately checked on her well-being.

Luna, feeling somewhat bewildered, replied,

“For now, yes.”

“Do you remember anything that happened?”

Her last memory was of unknown watchers casting a sleep spell on her.

There was no recollection of what happened in between, and she had literally woken up inside a strange carriage, so there wasn’t much she could say had happened.

“Anyway, we are relieved you are safe! We will explain as we go, so could you please come with us? The chairman is waiting for you!”

“…Okay.”

Despite the situation being similar to before she fell asleep, she didn’t harbor any particular suspicion.

While being escorted by the society members and boarding the carriage, Luna continually checked her condition.

It felt as if something that had been constricting her was completely gone.

She felt an unusual sense of refreshment she had never felt before.

Along with this, there seemed to be another unfamiliar something settled within her.

This feeling wasn’t one of suppression or erosion but more like a protective measure safeguarding her.

“Is grandfather very angry?”

The society member hesitated to answer Luna’s question.

“Well, if you explain the reason for your outing well, I think it will be okay! The most important thing is that you are safe…”

She knew too well that wouldn’t be the case.

Though she was likely to be severely scolded upon her return, she wasn’t afraid.

After all, it felt like a new something was protecting her…

This wasn’t a feeling of enlightenment but one stemming from reassurance.

* * *

The scene was neatly tidied up, and I clearly left my alibi through a welcoming spell.

Just in case, I also set up a barrier around the carriage, so unless a sandstorm or something of the sort passes by, nothing unusual should happen.

Meaning, there’s no one who would know I was there.

However, someone who couldn’t be fooled by ghosts, immediately barged into my room upon their return to interrogate me.

“Did you get itchy feet while I was away?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

The leader, Silica looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“You know about Luna’s situation, don’t you?”

“Of course. I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, she was gone. I never imagined she had been kidnapped.”

I feigned innocence with a straight face.

The kidnapping incident was already widely known within the society.

“Nella Aronis, a magic instructor at the society, has gone missing. She was a woman from the Garam Kingdom, it has not been long since her appointment. According to recent information, she was a high-ranking member of a faction opposing the Garam Society.”

It seemed like she was talking about the woman in the gray robe I had killed first.

“So, she must have spread Luna’s information to her forces. It seems like going to the bathroom hastily was a divine move on my part.”

My attitude remained consistent throughout.

“Can you really assure me you have nothing to do with this?”

I answered without hesitation.

“I can assure you.”

Though I’m not sure what I would stake on it.

[…….]

Kaeram was watching me and the leader with a quite displeased expression.

As if she wanted to pick a fight but couldn’t find anything specific to say, looking very unsatisfied.

After all, she was an accomplice herself, so she wouldn’t have much to say.

“I thought you’d be very tired because of the banquet incident, but seeing your face, it seems like you’re itching for more.”

Not at all.

“Since there’s some time left until the next semester starts, I’ll give you a solo assignment.”

I doubted my ears.

“A solo assignment, you say?”

She silently pulled out a black envelope from her possession and handed it to me.

“Ha ha…”

Unfolding the envelope, all I could do was let out a hollow laugh.

(To be continued)