C39 - 40
The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin Chapter 39
Chapter 39: Followers of the Black Mist (3)
People say,
“The god of the black mist seeks to deny the intrinsic dignity and values inherent to mankind.”
“He incites humans to commit heinous acts they would not normally conceive, justifying them as right deeds for the sake of the world.”
But the god I know once said,
“It’s because they wished for it.”
“I merely bestowed power to fulfill the desperate wishes of those who couldn’t rise.”
“Ultimately, it’s not others but oneself who judges what’s right and wrong.”
To the unacquainted, it might seem like a god’s irresponsible abstinence from interference.
However, I’d like to make it clear.
This god isn’t irresponsible but deficient.
A foolish god who has forsaken the dignity of divinity; focusing solely on fiercely defending those who believe and follow him…
At the far reaches of a subspace where the presence of a transcendent being is felt, there was an altar similar to where Ceyram had once slept.
Enveloped in black mist with a faint human silhouette within, the figure sat calmly on the altar as if it had been waiting for my arrival.
(Do you know who I am?)
Without delay, he posed the question.
“Aer, the god of the black mist.”
It was clear; he was the master of this space.
(I didn’t particularly expect it, but you don’t seem at all surprised.)
Although it had been a long time, the omnipresent mist that lingered around me felt familiar, not strange at all.
He continued to ask.
(What is your name?)
“Sian Vert.”
(Since when did you know you were my successor?)
“Since a year ago.”
It wasn’t a lie.
Considering current history, it must’ve been around that time when I obtained the Mist Stone after ending my previous life and returning to the past.
Aer maintained silence for a moment before speaking again.
(There are two ways to become a successor. First is when I myself appoint a successor and grant them a Mist Stone engraved with my mark…)
That was me in a previous life.
(The second is when someone worthy of succession emerges, and the Mist Stone finds its way to them. You have the Mist Stone now, but I don’t recall giving it to you. So, it must be the latter.)
This meant the Mist Stone had come to me at the same time as my return to this world.
In other words, a swap had taken place.
The Mist Stone from my past life had vanished, and a new one from this world had entered me.
And with the disappearance of the Mist Stone, the organization must have realized that a successor had appeared and begun the cleansing.
(Furthermore, you’ve even managed to awaken and control a cursed sword that even I did not know of… Your way is quite unprecedented for me. Ceyram…)
[…]
Despite the mention of his name, Ceyram made no response, only glaring intensely while biting his lips.
(I see in your eyes recognition of me, a Mist Stone I never gave, and secret techniques never taught by those children… From the outside and within, it seems there’s nothing left I can do. You’re the finished product itself.)
While Aer seemed puzzled yet content, I could tell the look he had seen in me was quite familiar.
(It seems you come from a different timeline that’s not in my memory…)
A successor who appeared suddenly and fully formed without any warning signs.
Perhaps, my current existence is defying all the natural order that Aer and the Mist were supposed to fulfill.
Considering I had skipped all the intermediate steps they were meant to lead and nurture their successor through.
That’s why I thought the source of this absurd situation might lie with this banished god.
“I had thought this was somehow related to you.”
But Aer scoffed as if that weren’t the case.
(What power do I have to do such things? It’s been a long while since I was stripped of the title ‘god.’ If you expected an all-powerful being, it seems you’ve come to the wrong world.)
That didn’t seem to be right.
At least, the Aer I knew was very much present here, examining me with a curious gaze.
(Hmm… Involuntarily, it feels like things have become quite convenient, haven’t they?)
“…For what reason?”
(Without needing to teach or give anything, a complete successor has appeared before me, reducing the necessity of guidance. From my perspective, it’s as if the role of benefactor has been tossed aside, isn’t it?)
“How very like you to say…”
In my past life, I’d have wondered how a god could say such a thing.
But now I know those words were spoken in complete sincerity.
On the other hand, Ceyram’s expression looked as if he was genuinely disgusted.
(Just bear in mind one thing. By your existence, the causalities of the world have already twisted greatly. It’s solely your burden to bear.)
“…”
(So at times, look around you. Those whose lives you’ve touched may return to offer their hands again.)
The people whose lives I’ve touched…
To be honest, all I recall are bloodstained memories, but advice is advice, and should be heeded nonetheless.
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
Aer showed a more satisfied smile than ever.
(Now, I guess it’s time for me to finish an overdue conversation with my daughter.)
[…?]
Suddenly, his gaze turned from me to Ceyram.
(You’ve changed a lot since we last saw each other, Ceyram. I don’t know how much your master has dominated you, but your compliant look suits you well.)
[What are you talking about, you foolish god? Who decided I’m your daughter?]
Ceyram protested fiercely, trying to hide behind me to prevent him from getting closer.
Ceyram, barely half my size, was trying to… block him with what?
[Won’t you go away? This libertine seeks to mischief me again…!]
(I have nothing to give your master, so why not give something to you? Stay put for a moment.)
In the end, Aer grasped her wrist and inscribed a magic circle on the back of her hand.
-Ping!
Through the completed magic circle, a large amount of mist poured in, and Ceyram clutched her head as if in pain.
“…?”
My strength, instead of fading, was improving.
Even though maintaining Ceyram’s full corporeal form had been constantly draining my energy, it felt as if the supply had been cut off.
[What, what did you do to me?]
(Nothing much. I’ve merely shared a part of my life force with you. It’s unclear how often you’ll need to fully materialize in the future, but it wouldn’t be right to always leech off your master’s life force, would it?)
That was it.
Instead of relying on the life force of the owner, we’d be using the life force of the creator for actualization?
It wasn’t just life force he had transferred.
The vast amounts of energy felt through the mist most likely meant he’d passed on a substantial portion of his godly energy (神氣) to her.
[You did something unnecessary…]
(Why think it unnecessary? Isn’t actualization important? Now your master can legally embrace you. Ah! Since your physical development isn’t complete yet, would that be considered a crime…?)
[What?! You imbecile!]
Ceyram exploded in fury, grabbing Aer’s collar and shaking him violently.
Like father, like daughter, both seemed quite similar.
Weakened, Aer was unable to respond and was simply shaken back and forth.
(To be continued)
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The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin Chapter 40
Chapter 40. The Continent’s Greatest Swordmaster (1)
After the meeting with Aer ended, the next day dawned.
It was the moment when the full-scale opening of the academy was just a day away.
For the students, it was time to prepare various items needed for classes and academy life.
Of course, that’s for the real freshmen who had a lot to learn,I, for one, hadn’t even bought the textbooks yet.
Still, feeling the need to get ready, I was about to head out to the streets when…
“What in the world is going on here, young master?”
Brian, unable to comprehend the situation in front of him, asked me.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have anything else to say. Just let it slide for now…”
This situation was never something I intended from the start.
[Can you believe it~! A instructor visiting a student’s dormitory this early in the morning? What would people think if they saw this? Isn’t it just absurd?]
Ceyram, lying on the sofa in a seductive pose, blinked and said.
“Of course! It’s a perfectly normal situation for an academic instructor to deliver textbooks for the proper conduct of classes!”
Silica retorted without batting an eyelid.
But really, when does an instructor personally deliver textbooks to a student?
More so when you’re not an assistant but an academic instructor…
[Wouldn’t you say it’s careless of the Mist head to be so incautious? It’s neither a forbidden relationship between student and teacher, nor is it okay to keep coming and going like this. Haven’t you thought that it might lead our lord to be suspected~?]
“Ceyram, you’re the one being careless. Even if Aer has given you life energy and made complete manifestation free for you, this place is an academy. It’s filled with experts sensitive to mana and spiritual energy. What if your existence is discovered? Wouldn’t that put our student Sian in a difficult position?”
The sharp exchange between the two women left no room for me to interject.
For now, I decided to just watch.
[Oh my~! What’s there to worry about? Our lord is not a coward, and we could just sweep everything away with us~?]
“That’s why I’m telling you it’s not possible! If we were to sweep everything from the start, why would we have come here? Are you planning to turn the lord’s plans into nothing?”
A chilly laugh echoed through the spacious room.
Brian, unable to bear it any longer, wrapped his arms around himself as if chilled.
Not able to stand it any longer, I finally spoke.
“Excuse me, Mist head. No matter the reason, this doesn’t seem right. An academic instructor coming to the student’s dormitory is…”
I flinched involuntarily under her gaze that suddenly caught mine.
“Sian, you should be careful with your words. Mist head, you say? If someone heard that, it’d be troublesome…”
Why is she suddenly using formal language?
As she walked up to me, she lowered her body and said,
“In the academy, we are simply a student and an instructor. Please be more careful with how you address me from now on?”
Is this about separating public and private matters?
While I understand the head’s interest in the successor, this is a bit too much…
“That’s not to say we should be strictly formal! We have to be together for a long while, don’t we? There’s much to learn and grow continuously! We have to…”
The brief moment of her tenderly ruffling my hair was interrupted as her eyes suddenly gleamed.
“Won’t you lead our organization splendidly, successor Sian Vert?”
The obsession directed at me was burning in her eyes.
Is it just me, or has she become even more obsessed than in my previous life?
Just when I thought she might have a split personality, a dark mana sphere flew between us and her.
Ceyram was the perpetrator.
[Where do you think you’re touching?]
Displeasure and cold anger lingered in her eyes.
Sigh, somehow, this is more tiring than battling demons.
It seems I’ll only be uncomfortable if I stay here.
Leaving the two women, who were like lionesses marking their territories, behind, I quietly slipped away.
“Shall we go out for a drink, young master?”Brian was the one asking if I was now heading out for a drink on my own.
“Yes, if they ask where I went, just say you don’t know. They’ll be too busy snarling at each other to care anyway.”
In reality, they were like a volcano on the verge of eruption, consumed in their own disputes.
I left the room and exited the Royal Hall entirely.
The streets of Rowen bathed in the morning sun.
It was undeniably more vibrant and brimming with positive energy than the other dim cities I had visited, probably because it was a border town close to three different countries. This location made frequent exchanges inevitable, naturally turning it into a bustling trade and market town.
Originally, I had stepped out with the intention of maybe looking over some textbooks and making some preparations, but with the head of the household excusing himself and handing everything off, the purpose of my outing had evaporated.
“……”
Peaceful.
Had I ever encountered such tranquility in my life?
To be honest, ‘peaceful’ was not a word that suited me very well. Not that I was being pessimistic, it’s just the truth.
After all, I was someone who had been steeped in blood and engaged in all sorts of dirty dealings.
Walking under this clear, blue sky, on this affectionate and lively street…
Well, it wasn’t too bad.
It seems that I still retained at least a shred of humanity.
On a whim, I decided to venture into the one place that felt even more out of place for me—the famed natural park of Rowen.
Under the warm sun, unnamed flowers bloomed in abundance.
This was a place even my reclusive former self had visited only a handful of times.
I sat on a bench that seemed reasonable and took in my surroundings.
This place indeed deserved to be called a landmark of Rowen.
It was as gorgeous as a divine garden, with its fountains and statues adding a slight touristy flair here and there.
Hmm…
Looking at this peaceful scene, my mind unhelpfully visualized the white flowers stained with blood and verdant trees blazing in fire.
It appears I really am sick.
With a sigh to shake off such morbid thoughts, I turned my head when—
“……!”
Not that it’s anything to brag about, but I have a keen sense of smell.
Not the scent of food or anything mundane, but rather, I can pick up the malicious odor that seeps from human emotions.
Precisely eleven o’clock from my bench, under a deeply shaded tree, I spotted four boys around my age (well, eleven years old, strictly speaking).
From a distance, they might seem just like mischievous kids up to no good, but Rowen was not as harmonious as it appeared.
Three boys.
Three young lads who barely knew the world were harassing another boy leaning against the tree.
Judging by their appearance, they were all students from the same academy as me.
Usually, bullying is something cruel that children might partake in at that age.
However, this is Royal Academy, and in a world where nobles’ paths could cross at any time.
Interactions were meant to strengthen bonds, not fracture them through petty acts of exclusion.
Thus, the situation could be explained in two ways:
Either the boy being bullied was not an academy student, or he was not a noble.
My guess was the latter.
He was likely a noble in name only.
At Royal Academy, there were instances where teachers would bring in talented commoner children, giving them a chance at education through special admissions.
But due to academy rules, children of commoner status couldn’t enroll, leading teachers to elevate their status temporarily.
So-called honorary nobles.
While they were nobles in name, they were empty inside, lacking any true substance.To our pure nobles, whose pride and dignity pierce the heavens, the very idea of attending the academy alongside these nominal nobles, essentially commoners, is likely a source of considerable displeasure. From what I recall, about five of my fellow incoming students were honorary nobles.
Help them? Well, honestly, situations like this aren’t rare or extraordinary but a part of everyday life, so it wouldn’t be peculiar no matter when you come across it. Does that mean there are many who lend a hand? Far from it. If there were many willing to help our frail commoner friend, such bullying would never happen in the first place. Look around. There are dozens of us here in the park, and everyone just walks by, aware that getting involved would bring them no good, especially if the bullies come from well-known families. After all, it’s said that half-hearted help is worse than no help at all. Even if I intervened to resolve the situation, it would be a temporary solution. Eventually, the commoner friend would likely face even more relentless bullying. It’s not as if there’s a lack of onlookers, so let’s just leave them to it….
– Snap
A crisp, refreshing sound snaps me back to reality. The blond bruiser who was grabbing the collar of the smaller child had just been slapped across the face. Given my acute hearing, the fact that the sound reached me indicates the force behind it.
– Thwack Thwack Thwack
The heavy sound of blows landing one after the other follows. Whether on the face, stomach, or legs, the bully is enthusiastically doling out punches. This looks more intense than a sparring session among fighters. Still, the one receiving the blows seems to have a decent resilience, managing not to fall and stubbornly holding their ground.
“…?”
Just when I thought it would end with just a beating, the situation seemed to escalate. The blond bruiser held a red mana orb in his hand, aiming to shove it into the commoner friend’s mouth. At eleven years old, a body is just beginning to adapt to the surges of mana, a crucial period for harmonizing with it. Forcing a mismatched mana into someone could cause a clash, potentially collapsing the flow of mana altogether. Then forget about casting spells; even injecting mana into objects would become an impossibility. It was almost the equivalent of exacting revenge on a mortal enemy.
They twisted the commoner friend’s arm, tilting his face upwards, rendering him unable to resist. They weren’t just scaring him; they intended to go through with it. The blond bully’s vile smirk seemed hellish. Just as he was about to insert the mana orb into the commoner’s mouth,
“What do you think you’re doing!?”
“…!?”
A vibrant cry of justice turned their heads like owls. Just to clarify, I hadn’t moved an inch. It seems the world isn’t entirely devoid of hope after all, with a valorous champion stepping forward to rescue the commoner friend in the face of injustice. However, this champion of justice seems vaguely familiar…
“How can you, as fellow students, commit such barbaric acts? Aren’t you ashamed to call yourselves nobles?”
The silver hair that had grown considerably in the past year suited the academy’s uniform quite well.
“…”
The young nobles sensed the arrival of a significant figure and stepped back from her. Arin Sevellus. The fifth princess of the Ushif Empire. Her gaze, meeting mine after a year, carried a sharpness that wasn’t there before.
(To be continued)