C49 - 50
The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin Chapter 49
Chapter 49: An Interview (1)
To be honest, I was a bit surprised. The magic rank of Seth, known for his elemental swordsmanship, was three stars. Among this year’s freshman class, his rank was unquestionably the highest. Considering his abilities, the instructors had installed a magic barrier of four-star strength, one grade higher. But look at the state of the barrier now. It is so fragile that it seems it could break with a mere touch. For a moment, he displayed a realm of transcendence that exceeded his own magic rank. If my Sphere of Nothingness had been any slower, there might have been damage to the arena as well.
“……”
Seth’s face was unexpectedly devoid of thought. Drained of every ounce of strength, it would have been a feat for him to even stand, let alone have any mana left.
“Sian Vert……”
He called out my name, barely able to catch his breath.
“A complete defeat on my part.”
His admission was impressively cool. Surely he wouldn’t persist in such a state.
“Swordsmanship, magic… I lost in both of the areas where I thought myself most confident. And so utterly powerlessly…”
“Take this as consolation or not, but you were amazing too. For a moment, you transcended your own magical rank, right?”
“That’s not even close to consoling! You, on the other hand, are perfectly fine unlike me!”
Hm, that’s true. Perhaps I should have pretended to be a bit more out of breath.
“This defeat is a first for me. But thanks to it, I’ve realized how much I have yet to learn! My desire to train is surging uncontrollably!”
He seemed ready to retreat to a mountain cave for solitary training. Given his state, he didn’t seem likely to show up for class for a while.
“I don’t know when, but I will challenge you again! You’ll accept again then, won’t you, Sian Vert?”
“Well, if the opportunity arises…”
Seth laughed heartily, satisfied.
“Excellent! But it won’t take long! I’ll train with fierce dedication and I will definitely…”
-Thump!
It was nothing. The guy who had been incessantly talking to himself finally collapsed from exhaustion. The waiting instructors hastily rushed over and took him to the infirmary.
“Sparring is over! The winner is Sian Vert!”
Despite the announcement of the victor, only a solemn silence filled the sparring ground. Not even a smattering of applause, just a pathetic murmur here and there.
“What’s that about? Wasn’t his magic rank supposed to be just one star? And his attribute, a useless darkness?”
“The Sand Prince turned out to be nothing special. All that and defeated by a mere one-star…”
“Maybe he learned some tricks from those frontline knights?”
“Look at that nonchalant face of his! Really irksome…”
Of course, nobles filled with envy and jealousy wouldn’t think of me fondly. But why would I care for the opinion of swine?
Not that there were only swine present. Among the onlookers—upperclassmen, instructors, researchers, and even the head of the house sitting in the special seats—doubt filled every gaze.
“A one-star? He seems to be at least a four-star.”
“Is this what being a scion of the house of Vert entails? Not a single ordinary one in that family…”
“To master the Sphere of Nothingness at his age… despite being a darkness attribute, his potential is intriguing.”
Among them, the gaze of our head, no, Instructor Silica, was the most noteworthy. It almost seemed to say out loud, “Was it really necessary to show off like that, Sian Vert?”
And then there was another…
Condor Quizzel, the chief administrator of the Royal Academy, watched me with a steely gaze unlike any other, hard to decipher.
Staying here any longer wouldn’t do any good.
Ignoring the many stares, I left the arena.
* * *
“My lord, this is…”
“What’s this?”
While I was resting on the sofa, Brian handed me something.
It was a thin envelope with a red background and the academy’s emblem on it.
“I’m not quite sure. Lady Silica said she couldn’t give it directly to you and handed it to me to ensure it reaches you…”
I immediately opened the envelope to see its contents.
“…A warning?”
Not exactly a welcome item to receive.
“This is quite a disappointing prize for a sparring victory.”
Did I expect too much hoping for a surprise party invitation?
“Papa! What’s a warning?”
Our little one asked with pure eyes, her cheeks puffed with candy like a hamster.
“Well… simply put, if we don’t do as they say, they’ll kick us out of here.”
“So what will we do? Will we end up on the streets?”
“…Where did you learn such a thing?”
Has she been exploring the city in my absence?
But honestly, the current situation wasn’t much different from what I explained to our little one. The warning informed me that continuous absence from classes would lead to further warnings and sanctions, and if I continued to show a lack of compliance, I could be expelled from the Royal residence, and in the worst case, expelled from the academy.
Sooner or later, this moment was expected. What concerned me was not that the warning came from the academy’s administrative department, but from someone higher up.
-Chancellor Condor Quizzel-
There it was, the name written clearly under the warning letter. The top authority of the academy had now personally sent a warning to a mere freshman.
The head had told me that I was being watched, but it seems that the sparring from two days ago heightened their attention.
“Then shall we move to a different place?”
“No, not yet. We need to be here until our little one grows up.”
I gently stroked her head as I spoke.
Still, it’s not like I’d just obediently start attending classes. In essence, this warning was like a love call from the chancellor, an invitation to come and see him if I had any complaints.
It seems I’ll need to make a deal with the head of the academy if I want to continue wandering its premises freely.
“Sir, shouldn’t you also think of a name for her?” Brian suddenly spoke up.
“Huh?”
“Well, it might be good for her emotions. And we can’t keep calling her ‘little one’…”
It seems that not having an actual name was somewhat troubling for Brian. I hadn’t avoided choosing a name on purpose—it was just that I couldn’t think of a good one.
Dragons, obsessed with their outer appearance, also insisted on grand names. I remembered meeting a dragon in my past life whose name was ‘Marian Del Ancart Luscal Dia Postarn’, and even that was considered short by dragon standards.
I don’t understand why they need such needlessly long names. Their tradition had been going on for thousands of years; who was I to question it?
But then again, this child wasn’t obliged to follow their customs. Being half human, she could choose her own name.
“What you want is the most important,” I had told her.
I bent down to look her in the eyes and asked, “Little one, do you have a name you’d like?”
“Name?”
“Yes, a name. How would you like us to call you?”
After gulping down her candy and pondering for a bit, she smiled brightly and said, “Nana!”
“Nana?”
It was easy enough to say and fairly cute.
“Yes! I want to be called ‘Nana Vert’, with Papa’s last name! Is that okay?”
“Um… sure, why not…”
I feel like she pulled a fast one on me there.
When did she learn my last name?
Nonetheless, Nana continued munching on her candy with an innocent smile, carefree of any concerns.
* * *
Condor Quizzel, Chancellor of the Royal Academy. Mentor to Emperor Dionne Severus and subsequently ascending to become the emperor’s father-in-law. After the death of Empress Diana Quizzel, he set aside his family responsibilities to dedicate himself solely to the role of academy chancellor.
Quizzel was also one of the few on the continent to have reached the grade of nine-star magic rank—a grand mage capable of wiping out a territory in the blink of an eye if so desired. It was an unwise choice to mess with such an elderly man.
However, there was no particular connection between Quizzel and my past life. Perhaps my only personal experience with him was when he scolded me a bit.
Despite not exactly being boast-worthy, in my past life, I graduated from the academy ranked fifth overall. It was a deliberate choice, as I only achieved the scores I deemed necessary at the time.
(Had I wished, I could have been the valedictorian.)
Nevertheless, the chancellor invited me, an outstanding graduate, to his office. I was half-expecting him to scout me for some academy-related job.
But instead,
“You have been hiding your power within the academy,” he said.
I didn’t show it outwardly, but my heart sank at those words.
“You’re joining the Order of Light Knights? To follow in your exceptional brother’s footsteps? Doesn’t seem like the right path for you.”
When I asked if that was because I was a holder of the dark attribute, the chancellor laughed heartily and replied,
“Hahaha! So even you realize it doesn’t suit you? Let me give you some advice. If you go there, you will definitely not end up well. While you may consider it a trial, in the end, it will be a fruitless life for you.”
At the time, I ignored even divine advice, so such words were mere spiteful comments. Yet, looking back, he really hit the mark.
Indeed, his prediction came true, and I met the most miserable end imaginable in my previous life.
The irony is that while one can see the future of others so clearly, one’s own future remains unseen. Chancellor Quizzel was exactly like that, a seer who, despite witnessing a great deal, remained blind to his own destiny. Perhaps in many ways, he was similar to me.
Remembering those days only leaves me with a bitter smile.
The chancellery was located on the top floor of the main building. Given the late hour, the chancellor would likely be in his office. I saw no guards on patrol—perhaps they had ducked out for a snack—a thought interrupted.
In an instant, I was on the top floor of the main building, thirty paces from the chancellor’s office. I could continue walking and reach it without issue.
However, I couldn’t just proceed. An unfamiliar, menacing presence filled the entire floor. Not murderous intent, but rather an aversion to even approach a profoundly negative aura. No scent of blood or signs of life, just sporadic artificial mana energies scraping against the flesh.
A restricted barrier. With a vast amount of mana, a limited area was created where penetration was impossible. A magic barricade meant to induce an unbearable feeling of rejection the moment an intruder stepped inside, to prevent any approach.
If the mana presence had been normal, I might assume it was for security measures, but this was beyond that. At least eight- or nine-star grade, requiring the reach of a grand mage to manifest such overwhelming magical power.
There is only one person at the academy capable of such a feat…
Of course, Chancellor Quizzel.
I knew immediately that at this moment, he was testing me.
(To be continued)
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The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin Chapter 50
Chapter 50: Interview (2)
-Crash!
With a crisp sound, it rolled on the floor a couple of times.
If asked why I entered with such a commotion, it’s because I came in through the window, not the front door.
Quickly raising my head, I caught sight of the chancellor sitting at the desk.
I stood up without much emotion and said calmly,
“Sian Vert, a freshman at the Royal Academy. I’ve come to lodge a complaint with the chancellor.”
“……!”
The chancellor wore a rather inscrutable expression.
I suppose it could be interpreted in two ways.
Either he never expected me to actually come, or
He knew I would come, but not in such a manner.
After setting up such a high-level ‘restriction barrier’, did he really expect me to enter through the front door?
Unless I used the power of Aeryl, it would have been impossible to breach that barrier with my bare body.
But an assassin doesn’t usually take the main entrance, does it?
I had climbed up another stairwell to the rooftop.a
And then I jumped.
Using a sphere of mana as a springboard, I charged straight through the window of the chancellor’s office.
Though somewhat violent, it was, after all, the most inconspicuous method I could choose.
The chancellor then looked at me with a chilly tone and asked,
“Have you come to lodge a complaint?”
“Yes. The warning notice was issued under the chancellor’s name, so I came directly to see you.”
The chancellor let out a disbelieving chuckle.
“Audacious. At this sacred educational institute, a student skips classes and I take action, and you want to lodge a complaint against that? Do you take the Royal Academy for granted?”
Every word was imbued with strong resolve.
He’s taking a hard stance.
Of course, I know the current situation is not in my favor.
If he wished, he could charge me with unauthorized entry and property damage, imposing additional sanctions.
However, if that had been his goal, he wouldn’t have sent me a warning notice in the first place.
I replied with a restrained tone.
“In truth, coming to lodge a complaint was merely a formal procedure to see you, Chancellor. As for the warning you issued, I have no intention of denying it. In fact, I think it was a natural decision.”
“Ha, so that means you have another purpose for coming here?”
With that, the chancellor scoffed and continued,
“Indeed, I sent the same warning to you and Seth. They were identical in form and format, but one thing was different — the sender. Seth’s warning probably said it was from the administrative department, but yours did not. As you put it yourself, if you had an objection to the warning, coming to me directly was the right move.”
The chancellor’s tone was unflinching and cold.
“Why do you think I sent you my warning and not both of you?”
“That would be because you wanted to test me, no? Discovering and nurturing talent is something you excel at, is it not?”
An educator’s true role is to accelerate the growth of students, contributing to the advancement of the nation and society.
And it would be unthinkable for someone who manages the continent’s top educational institution to simply overlook a talent such as mine.
Even if I criticize the Academy as a den of intrigue and deception, at its core, it is a place of learning.
Historically, numerous talented individuals have passed through here, which is why it has maintained its reputation as the leading educational institute on the continent.
“Fine. You’ve attracted my attention with your bold entrance and the duel the other day. If you’ve not come to lodge a complaint, let’s hear it then. State your original purpose…”
I had pondered this moment several times on the way here.
Whether to reveal some of my cards for a clear and decisive path,
Or choose a safer route that might be circuitous but allowed me to keep everything hidden.
Truthfully, the latter was not to my taste.
In my life where failure meant the end, the word ‘safety’ didn’t quite fit.
I don’t particularly like the phrase ‘life is a gamble’, but since I had decided to deal with the chancellor, half-hearted sentiments had to be set aside.
I firmly looked the chancellor in the eyes and said,
“I have one question for you, Chancellor.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you wish for the empire’s prosperity? Or do you seek the glory of your house?”
For a moment, the chancellor’s eyes sharpened and moved.
“Before being the head of the Royal Academy, you are also the leader of the Quizzel Ducal house. Furthermore, you were the Emperor’s father-in-law. I understand you’ve maintained a good relationship with His Majesty even after the empress passed away.”
“And what of it?”
“Please answer my question first. Depending on your response, what I have to say next will change.”
The chancellor’s gaze was as heavy as that of a predator at the top of the food chain.
As if to say, ‘Why should I answer to someone like you?’
I too did not back down, fully accepting his scrutinizing gaze.
“Prosperity and honor?”
The chancellor finally spoke after maintaining his silence.
“Neither are my concern.”
That was an unexpected answer.
“The continent has been at unprecedented peace since the founding of the Royal Academy. It has already been a hundred years since nations have crossed swords. Right now, this is arguably the most prosperous period in the history of the empire.”
It has been a hundred years since the great sage Teramile Ishpa established the Royal Academy.
Indeed, since then, there have been no wars between states on the continent.
The Academy’s central role in this cannot be denied.
As the chancellor said, this is indeed an era of unprecedented prosperity for the empire.
“Moreover, I’ve long since lost interest in my house’s glory. The house runs well without me, and I stepped down from the position of duke some time ago. For me now, this academy is all that matters.”
The chancellor’s words carried an unequivocal resolve.
I nodded and replied,
“I understand. Then since you do not care about the empire’s prosperity or your family’s honor, I assume it wouldn’t matter to you if either the 1st Prince or the 2nd Princess did not ascend the throne?”
“……!”
The air in the room grew heavy in an instant.
“You’re not audacious… you’re impudent.”
The chancellor spoke in a heavy tone, a light smile on my face.
“I’ve dedicated 30 years of my life to this academy. During that time, I’ve seen many students, many talents. That included your sister, hailed as the child of the gods, and your brother, deemed to become the continent’s second guardian. I too thought of you as a talent in the same league as them.”
A bittersweet compliment, being compared with him, but I chose not to show my thoughts.
“Yet it seems I misjudged you. You are nothing but a dunce, complacent with the power you’ve been given. No matter the Duke of Vert’s offspring, have you not considered the repercussions of your words? Or has the Emperor’s favor corrupted you with vanity? I regret ever seeing you in a good light, even if briefly. Let’s consider your last statement as unheard. I’ll lower the barrier for a moment, now leave.”
That was blunt.
The chancellor was plainly instructing me to leave.
Ignoring his command, I continued,
“Chancellor, as you said, we are in an unprecedented golden age of the empire—at least during the Emperor’s lifetime. But do you think this peaceful era will continue after His Majesty passes?”
“……!”
The chancellor’s eyes flashed for a moment.
“You may have withdrawn from your house, but you surely aren’t ignorant of the current state of the empire. We are tightroping at present. The factions of the late empress, the 1st Prince and the 2nd Princess, and the current empress, the 3rd and 4th Princes… After the Emperor’s death, the impending civil strife between them is almost a given.”
I’ll leave out one more person for now.
“What’s your basis for such claims?”
“Randolph Nephris, Count of Nephris, is not one to be disinterested in the world like you, Chancellor. He places his house’s honor above all and would kill a demon from hell to preserve it. Surely, he must desire his bloodline to ascend the throne.”
A flicker of disturbance crossed the chancellor’s eyes.
He knew more about Nephris than I did.
I pressed on,
“Based on legitimacy, it would be right for the 1st Prince to take the throne. But the Nephris house wouldn’t stand idly by. It will inevitably lead to civil strife. And if peace within the empire shatters, and the worst happens with the 1st Prince’s faction defeated, even the Quizzel family cannot guarantee its security.”
“Do you think our Quizzel house is so weak?”
“It’s just a possibility, isn’t it? No one knows for sure.”
The chancellor is likely thinking now,
‘How can an eleven-year-old boy predict the deep politics of the empire?’
It would seem too confident for overheard information.
After all, only a direct vassal could speak of such things.
“The empire’s prosperity and the family’s honor… You say they don’t concern you much, but what if both shatter in the near future? Even then, will you really be untroubled, Chancellor?”
The chancellor looked at me in silence, a look filled with many thoughts, but one thing was clear.
No longer would he see me as just another freshman…
“No one of my house has said such things to me… I never imagined it would come from you.”
His tone was slightly softer now.
“So, you’re saying all this to guide me towards the right path amid the prospective turmoil?”
I smiled and replied,
“I acknowledge that you are a great man, Chancellor. If a civil war really breaks out, you would lead the fray and ensure a Quizzel ascends the throne.”
Indeed, Chancellor Condor had made groundbreaking contributions in leading the Quizzel house to victory in a succession conflict, making Prince ‘Luinel Severus’ the new emperor.
But it didn’t end with the strife.
After the civil war concluded, the chancellor wanted the new emperor Luinel to embrace his other siblings peacefully.
Without their support, a conflict could erupt again—they should not be killed but kept in a friendly relationship.
However, Emperor Luinel thought differently.
Raised in a world of power struggles, brotherly love was alien to him.
They were merely insurgents threatening his position.
Even the far-seeing Chancellor Condor couldn’t predict his own future.
The civil war gave birth to another, and ultimately, Emperor Luinel ordered the assassination of the opposing Chancellor Condor while executing his remaining brothers for treason.
Princess Arin was simply banished.
“Ha! Then what was your real purpose in telling me all this?”
Unless something changed, the empire’s future would remain the same.
Honestly, I no longer care a speck about the empire’s prosperity or the family’s honor.
But the old chancellor wouldn’t feel the same.
Above all, he would hope that the current peace lasts for the rest of his life.
I would use that hope of the chancellor to my advantage.
“Chancellor, you said the academy matters to you most, so it’s irrelevant who becomes the emperor, right? Plus, if the family’s honor continues as it is, all the better. You would want to see the empire and academy flourish in this peaceful time, wouldn’t you?”
“And you will help me with that?”
He sees right through it.
I silently responded with a smile.
“Yes, I acknowledge. As long as the academy’s welfare is assured, it doesn’t matter to me who sits on the throne. So, what do you want from me? What power do you have?”
I had said all that could be said in words.
Now, what remained was to prove myself.
Can I showcase the power to turn the tide in the tumultuous state of the empire?
-Swish
I formed a small mana sphere in my palm.
A mundane mana sphere, do you think?
Correct.
This is a very ordinary mana sphere that even a 1-star student could create.
But this ordinary thing feels different depending on who creates it.
“……!”
The chancellor’s gaze wavered intensely.
He sensed it.
The tremendous power emanating from the black mana sphere.
And he would also know,
The power I am displaying now is nowhere near my full extent…
“Who are you exactly…?”
“You needn’t think so hard about it. Think of me as a genius, prodigy, or perhaps a divine being who has descended among humans. As long as you don’t see me as just an ordinary student, that will suffice.”
The chancellor looked perplexed.
But that moment didn’t last long.
As if coming to a decision, he asked again.
“What is it that you want from me?”
Our chancellor understands the concept of give and take very well indeed.
Without hesitation, I immediately replied,
“Nothing much. Aside from retracting the warning, allow me to continue life at the academy as it is. I might not attend classes often, but I’ll go every now and then. I’ll regularly take exams as well.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes, that’s all. Nothing more.”
The chancellor seemed surprised.
“What do you gain from this?”
“Peace. I too want to attend the academy without issues.”
With my smile suggesting ‘what’s the problem?’, the chancellor wore a complex expression.
(To be continued)