C51 - 52
The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin Chapter 51
Chapter 51. My Person(1)
“Haah…”
The sun filtered through the window on a bright morning.
For me, a stifling yawn was turning into a deep sigh that seemed to carry my weary soul.
“As I mentioned earlier, magic is the utilization of the divine power that created this world. Hence, it depends on how we use the mana that resides within our bodies…”
After nearly 30 years, I was sitting in a lecture.
I might have struck a bad deal with the chancellor.
I had said I would attend classes from time to time, out of a sliver of conscience, but it seemed I would have to recalibrate what “from time to time” actually meant.
Even sitting still for two hours felt unbearably boring.
-Swish-
The moment the first class ended, I immediately stood up.
Today’s lessons were over for me.
If I listened any further, my mind would become muddled.
Just as I was about to leave the classroom without a textbook to my name, an unexpected voice stopped me in my tracks.
“Where are you going, Sian?”
My eyes immediately met with the proof of royalty, a red brooch representative of the imperial family.
In this classroom, there was only one person who would wear such an emblem.
Princess Arin.
She was glaring at me with apparent displeasure.
“I’m going to the bathroom.”
I responded with a flat expression.
“The bathroom is not that way. Don’t tell me you’re planning to skip out after attending only the first lesson in a month?”
Why is she, who isn’t even an instructor, concerned about my business?
“The bathroom on this floor will be crowded, so I was heading to the one downstairs.”
Princess Arin’s gaze sharpened with doubt as she observed my unchanged expression.
Beside her stood Resmus, wearing a look of mild embarrassment.
“Are you really just going to the bathroom?”
“Of course. I will return to the classroom after that.”
Though probably not for another two weeks or so.
“Alright. Then come with me. I need to use the downstairs bathroom, too!”
For a moment, I thought I might have misheard her.
When I had rescued Resmus, I thought she had changed a bit, but her childish behavior seemed to remain unchanged.
“Ah, Princess Arin, no matter the situation, please mind the dignity befitting a princess…!”
Even Resmus seemed compelled to intervene.
Something about the form of address felt off.
“Have you been granted permission to address her by name?”
“Hm? Oh right! I told Resmus to call me by name in private settings! We’re all just students here!”
All just students…
I doubted that anyone else in this academy held that view except for her.
“Regardless of what you desire, Your Highness, you should be cautious in front of others. As I’m sure you are aware, this place isn’t exactly hospitable.”
Despite my advice, her annoyed expression did not clear up.
“And you are?”
“Pardon?”
“Why do you still refer to me as ‘Your Highness’? I’ve heard you’ve even spoken terms with Prince Set. So why can’t you do the same with me?”
“Isn’t the situation different? I’m a subject of the empire, and you are imperial royalty. How could I dare address Your Highness so casually?”
Resmus flinched, surely surprised.
“I bet at first, she also firmly opposed the idea of dispensing with formality.”
Princess Arin exhaled a small sigh.
“You’re just the same as you were a year ago, aren’t you? Still so blunt and stubbornly upright.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
As this pointless conversation continued, I heard footsteps descending the stairs.
“!”
The princess’s body stiffened as she saw their faces.
“Arin?”
Those who now faced her seemed to recognize her and immediately furrowed their brows.
It was easy to infer they were brothers by looking at their identical faces.
The unique trait of the Nephris family, a dark spot beneath the eyes.
They wore the same royal red brooches as Princess Arin.
I too recognized their faces.
The empire’s third prince, Fabian Severus, and the fourth prince, Nerobian Severus—Arin’s older half-brothers and sons of the current empress.
If I remember correctly, they are about four years older than me, so they would now be around 15.
As adolescents in puberty, their prominent adam’s apples and grown figures stood out.
To them, 11-year-old Princess Arin was nothing but a fledgling chick.
The brothers looked past her, their sleepy eyes observing from above.
“Good to see you after so long. Brother Fabian, brother Nerobian…”
Princess Arin touched the brooch and slightly nodded her head.
Naturally, they weren’t on cordial terms to begin with.
After all, they are princes backed by Count Nephris, the emperor’s relative by marriage. They had little reason to take kindly to Arin, who had dubious pedigree.
“…”
Her brother, Prince Fabian, scoffed indifferently at her greeting without even looking at her and continued on his way.
On the other hand, Prince Nerobian smirked unpleasantly as if he found the situation amusing.
“At least you’ve grown a bit now, not shaking while greeting, Arin…?”
“…”
She remained silent, merely tilting her head down.
Though she didn’t show it, I could sense her trembling.
“Even going to the trouble of keeping company, as fits a princess. Not that you’re one to have anyone worthy by your side…”
His scornful eyes glanced at her only briefly before they hardened upon locking with mine.
“Sian… Vert?”
Had I become such a public figure already?
It felt like everyone I encountered knew who I was.
“Do you know me?”
“Of course! How could I not know the son of the Duke Vert, an old friend of His Imperial Majesty? I saw your duel a few days ago. Despite having an unremarkable affinity, you beat the Sand Prince quite spectacularly, didn’t you?”
Not really feeling like a compliment—is it just me?
For now, I didn’t let it show and replied.
“Thank you for the kind words.”
“I’ll definitely invite you the next time I host a social gathering. Let’s talk more then!”
He patted my shoulder ambiguously, whether in encouragement or provocation, and smiled.
“…”
Then, he approached Princess Arin and whispered something into her ear.
Balled fists and quivering pupils.
The whisper meant for her alone, unfortunately, also reached my ears.
Isn’t having overly good hearing just a problem sometimes?
After casting a warning that wasn’t really advice, Prince Nerobian promptly followed Prince Fabian down the stairs.
The aftermath of the storm left a deafening silence.
“…”
Attempting to regain composure, Princess Arin took a deep breath.
“Sorry. That was embarrassing, wasn’t it?”
“Those people just now… were they the princes?”
Resmus asked.
“Yes, they’re my brothers. We don’t get along too well, but they seemed particularly harsh today.”
“What did they say to you?”
“It’s nothing. Just a misunderstanding.”
Misunderstanding…
Well, it wasn’t exactly incorrect, considering that a “warning often carries a hidden threat.”
Strictly speaking, Prince Nerobian had just put Princess Arin on alert in that situation.
Why?
Obviously, because of me.
His offer to invite me to a social gathering wasn’t made carelessly.
Just now, in this instance, he had treated me as a noble in my own right.
As funny as it is to say it myself, my status at the moment was far from trivial.
There were already rumors inside the academy that I was receiving special treatment and that I was using the royal quarters by order of the emperor himself—essentially, my position was made clear.
(I only came to know of this relatively recently.)
Anyhow, there I was, quite conspicuously beside Princess Arin, no matter the reason.
So, naturally, he couldn’t help but be wary.
If there was a misunderstanding to be had, it was only that I’m no one’s man at this point.
I was merely caught by her while trying to escape class and got into a bit of a scuffle.
“Uh… Sian?”
With her small lips trembling slightly, it seemed Princess Arin had something to say.
“Go ahead.”
“Is it true what they say about blood being thicker than water?”
Her question came out of the blue, but I had a rough idea of what she meant.
I answered casually.
“Typically, that would be the case. After all, blood relations represent the most fundamental connection in human society.”
“That’s true. Family is always supposed to be there, right…?”
Disappointment crept into her voice at my perfunctory reply.
“However, if you add power to these blood ties…”
“?”
“Then even the dearest of relations can become worse than strangers.”
It was somewhat of a personal testimony.
“Because power can be so much more cruel than blood…”
What she made of that was up to her now.
“…”
I don’t know what she was thinking, but she clenched her fist with resolve.
* * *
As the sun settled in the western sky, Brian passed through the center of Rowen’s streets, his hands full of snacks like candy, bread, and chocolate.
“…”
Though it was still crowded with people, Brian’s heart wouldn’t settle down.
He sensed a strange, unfamiliar presence tailing him amidst the throng.
This wasn’t the first time he’d had this feeling.
Since the day after he arrived in Rowen with Sian, he had felt the watchful gaze of some unknown party everywhere.
Was it attributable to his unique animalistic senses?
Once or twice he might have ignored it, but when it persisted, even someone as insignificant as him had to take notice.
Especially when walking around outside the academy or buying groceries, he always felt a persistent shadow.
Was it a tracker sent from Belias?
If that were the case, then they would certainly not be trailing him alone.
After all, he was just a lowly servant.
The natural target would be his master.
Despite his worries, these presences would usually disappear without a trace within a day or two.
Specifically, after Sian left the dormitory every night saying he was going out for exercise.
Without saying a word, Brian knew his master was handling it on his own.
This had happened about three times up until now with watchers disappearing and new ones appearing.
But something felt off today.
Like other times, a group was following him stealthily, but now there was an additional group from the opposite side doing the same.
They clearly weren’t from the same faction.
One simply maintained a distance to observe, while the other emitted a killing intent that suggested they might attack at any moment.
Perhaps because of a previous traumatic experience, he had grown accustomed to these vile intensions.
He couldn’t just ignore them as usual.
Swiftly picking up the pace, Brian turned toward a dark alley instead of the dormitory.
His pursuers followed suit.
He had become the servant of an 11-year-old in what felt like both a short and long month.
In that time, he had encountered a slew of bizarre events: an odd instructor popping in and out, a woman materializing from a sword, and even a hybrid child of dragon and human lineage.
Even for a child of an esteemed duke, Sian’s level of extraordinariness was hard to match.
Sian’s age was merely a number for Brian.
Occasionally, he wondered about his master’s true identity and made some guesses, but he never asked directly.
Sian, for his part, never told him to keep secrets or tried to hide anything.
Brian believed that his master trusted him and would tell him in his own time.
After all, he was not the sharpest of people.
As long as he remained loyal and served his master well, that was enough for him as a servant.
However, because matters of the world don’t always follow one’s wishes, being a servant ultimately meant having to be useful to their master.
A strong determination filled Brian’s eyes.
Then, in the dead-end alley, he placed the snacks on the ground and, looking at the corner, he softly spoke.
“Come out now, please.”
-----------------------------
The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin Chapter 52
Chapter 52: My Person(2)
Under the bright full moon and dark night clouds, the skies coexisted with both light and shadow.
It was time for our little friends to drift into the land of dreams.
Curled up in bed, Nana fell into a deep slumber.
Was she dreaming of eating candy? She absentmindedly sucked on her finger.
Normally, I might have gone out for my nightly outings as usual, but not tonight.
There was no nursemaid available to look after the little one who slept so soundly, unaware of the world.
Indeed.
Brian was not in the dormitory.
Usually, he would return at dusk after his daily routine of shopping for Nana’s snacks, but today, he has not returned even as the moon rose.
There’s no way he would have fled into the night by now,
Could he have been ambushed and kidnapped by some unexpected foes?
[What’s this, amateur hour?]
As if reading my thoughts, Ceyram appeared beside the sleeping Nana.
[You’ve been dealing with those crows lurking around lately, haven’t you? If something happened to that child, wouldn’t it obviously be their doing?]
Ceyram wore an amused smile, seeming quite entertained by the current predicament.
Those crows…
More accurately, they should be called watchers.
Ever since Brian and I arrived in Rowen and unpacked our bags,
strange watchers seemed to be waiting to tail us, as if they were already on standby.
If they had started following us after some time had passed, I might not have noticed, but their immediate presence indicated they had been prepared in advance.
In other words, this was not the work of the Duchess who had ordered my death.
In fact, the Duchess had been quite quiet so far, surprisingly so.
Knowing her nature, the moment she realized her plan had failed, she was likely living in fear each day, wondering when her misdeed would be discovered.
Truthfully, I had an inkling of who the culprit might be the moment I became aware of the watchers.
Thus, I didn’t waste time on baseless conjectures and dealt with them that very day.
Though they were well-trained and tight-lipped, they couldn’t withstand the cruel temptation of torture.
As I methodically peeled away the flesh from each of their fingers, they inevitably spilled everything.
‘Ke, Kellin! It’s Kellin Diego!’
A name all too familiar, even welcoming: Kellin Diego.
Although his official position might have been that of a knight for the Belias, he was unlikely to actually be serving in the order.
At this moment, he would be clinging to the side of that man, taking care of all the dirty work at the estate.
But in this life, I haven’t so much as met the man.
Meaning, it wasn’t solely his decision to send watchers after me.
Without a doubt, some suspicious higher power had ordered it.
With this knowledge, my next step was simple.
Kill every one of them that came.
No news is good news?
To those who value every scrap of information, silence only breeds meaningless anxiety.
Eventually, once all information is cut off, the real perpetrator will have no choice but to show himself.
That’s why I hunted down and killed additional watchers night after night, completely severing information to Belias.
In the end, Kellin himself would have to seek me out.
A confrontation I certainly anticipated.
But this, this was odd.
As if embodying the suspicion that Kellin wouldn’t make a risky wager without certainty, even if vital information kept getting cut off, he wouldn’t orchestrate such a reckless attack on the people around me.
The academy, watched from all sides, was particularly off-limits for such actions.
[You’re aware, aren’t you? Recently, there’s a new party tailing us. Really, our master is quite extraordinary, huh? With so much attention, how could you possibly die on schedule?]
A dedicated fan of life and death, is it?
A soft laugh escaped me as my gaze drifted towards the peacefully sleeping Nana.
“……”
She seemed unlikely to wake up anytime soon with her quiet, steady breathing.
Still, it would be problematic if she were to awaken in the absence of a guardian, so I had to hurry back quickly.
I tucked Ceyram safely in my coat and stepped outside.
The area surrounding the Royal Pavilion didn’t necessarily need academy personnel, as knights from the empire and other kingdoms were abundant, practically taking on the role of guards in the area.
Thus, even the most skilled watchers would struggle to remain in this vicinity.
I began by moving away from the dormitory.
– Chirrrrrr
Within the stillness, a sinister bird call sounded out.
The watchers were nowhere to be found, not even a hint of their presence could be felt.
Usually, by the time one exits the academy, the crows would have started to gather, but for some reason, they were silent today.
I decided to follow where my feet led me and ventured further.
Before I knew it, I had reached the commercial streets of Rowen in front of the academy.
As befitting the time, while there were lights on, no shop doors remained open.
The solitude seemed even more pronounced than usual.
But isn’t it strange?
There’s no human scent to be found… yet the smell of blood is distinctly in the air.
My body instinctively gravitated towards the familiar scent.
I eventually came upon a dead-end alley.
There appeared to be no need to search for the source of the smell.
Fresh, thick splashes of blood scattered about suggested that it hadn’t been long since they were spilled.
“Ha……”
A deep sigh escaped me involuntarily.
[Isn’t it obvious? You don’t even need to piece together the situation to know the answer, do you?]
Ceyram’s gaze wasn’t on the bloodstains; rather, it fixated on the scattered items around them.
Candy, bread, chocolate – precisely the kind of treats that the little one would enjoy.
There they lay disarrayed on the rough dirt ground, abandoned and ownerless.
What does this imply?
The situation fits too neatly together, leaving no room for conjecture.
These items, without a doubt, were bought by Brian.
Then, whose blood is this?
There’s no need to ask; it’s clearly Brian’s blood.
The real question is why his blood and the things he bought were found in such a secluded place.
Brian was not brought here against his will.
He came here of his own volition.
Perhaps he also sensed what had been happening around me lately.
The ominous crows that recently began to follow us so closely.
So, he attempted to lure them out.
Whether he intended to beat them to death with his hands or use some sort of desperate strategy to die together with them is unclear, but…
It’s laughable.
To think he felt he had the capability, this delusion of a sense of crisis?
The idea of someone threatening me is so absurd it’s speechless.
[You sure picked a fine specimen. He truly gave his all for you. Such devotion is hard to come by in servants, isn’t it?]
Though it could sound sarcastic, Ceyram seemed genuinely impressed.
I quietly asked her.
“Do you know, Ceyram?”
[Hm?]
“In all my past and present lives, I’ve never had a servant. Meaning, I’ve never once had someone live solely for my sake.”
The only one I ever considered worth protecting was him.
“So, I thought about it. A life dedicated to living for me. Wouldn’t it be nice to have individuals devoted to me? Like my past self, someone who would sacrifice everything for me? It seemed quite appealing.”
[Why the sudden confession?]
Ceyram’s brows tilted downward, perhaps my reflection coming off a bit abrupt.
“Despite his lack of talent and marginal ability, Brian is undoubtedly my first servant and my person. Yet, now it seems he’s in danger because of some insignificant beings? Can you imagine how that makes me feel?”
At my question, Ceyram gave a slight chuckle and replied.
[With that look in your eyes, there’s only one answer I can give, isn’t there?]
My eyes? Honestly, I’m not quite sure what expression I’m wearing at this moment.
This emotion… it’s actually new to me.
That someone who decided to dedicate their life to me is now in peril.
The sensation is really… indescribably shitty.
[You’re going to kill them, right? And very painfully…?]
The malevolent soul of the demonic blade sneered coldly at me.
How dare they lay a finger on my person when it would be futile even if they touched me?
A rage difficult to contain surged from within.
* * *
– Thump!
With a heavy blow, the sound of grunts echoed throughout the space.
“This damned lunatic! Did you swallow your vocal cords or something…?”
Despite the relentless beating, Brian only swayed helplessly like a limp puppet.
He had desperately wanted to respond, but after being hit indiscriminately, including his vocal cords, he had been unable to utter a single word.
The assailants were unaware of this and continued to press and attack for a confession, which Brian found incredibly frustrating.
His bones had practically shattered under the continuous assault.
By now, even if his voice came back, he doubted he could speak due to the pain; it was an utterly wretched feeling.
‘I should’ve just stopped showing off and informed the young master…’
During the beatings, this thought crossed his mind hundreds of times.
In hindsight, considering he had blatantly lured them out, maybe some level of conversation was an option?
He had been the one to ask them to come out, but who could have known they’d attack like a swarm without any discussion?
“It’s no use with this guy! He just won’t think straight!”
Finally, the torturer declared defeat.
The young man who had been sitting and watching silently approached Brian.
“Huff… Huff…”
Brian could only gasp with difficulty.
“I was under the impression that you, as the sole guardian knight, were someone exceptional, but it turns out you can’t even speak a word?”
It was not the heavy voice of an adult but rather the thin, light voice of a young boy.
Brian slowly raised his head to find the source of the voice.
With thick violet hair and flawless, tender skin, the boy seemed as young as Sian.
He wore a chilling smile as he asked Brian.
“Do you have any idea why you’re in this state?”
Having never met him before, there surely was no previous conflict with this stranger.
Brian realized then that Sian must have been involved.
“They say that when a master is incompetent, the subjects beneath him suffer. Isn’t that quite true? Oh, and you don’t even know what your master has done, do you?”
The boy continued with a cheerful smile.
“I utterly despise being lectured or looked down upon by anyone. Whenever I feel that way, I just want to kill everything around me with sheer fury! Once I lose it, no one can stop me. Not even my father…”
Madness began to fill the boy’s tone.
“And then your master crossed me? Sian Vert, that man insulted me, Beruth Luimill, with those contemptible eyes! Together with that insignificant fifth princess of the empire! It was a level of humiliation I had never felt before in my life! You think you can get away with such an act unscathed? Not a chance!”
As his mania subsided, his cold eyes returned to a blank gaze.
He muttered as if unsure whether to smile or cry.
“Should I tell you what I plan to do with you? First, I’ll painstakingly skin you from head to toe, wrap you up like a surprise gift! Then, I’ll send it directly to your master! Can you imagine his reaction upon receiving my present? He’ll be terrified, not knowing where it came from, trembling in fear day after day! I will relish watching his terror peak! And at the pinnacle of his fear, that will be when I kill him along with the princess!”
Brian was suddenly reminded of a common phrase Sian would use.
Utterly pitiful.
Pitiful to the point of warranting sympathy.
Brian had no idea what Sian had suffered, but he knew all too well what would happen to someone who crossed Sian.
Who was about to do what to whom?
The one thing he was sure of was that even if he perished here today, these people would soon savor an agony far worse than his own.
As if resigned, Brian closed his eyes.
Perhaps his life had already ended near Belias, so this impending death was surprisingly easy to accept.
Only a slight regret lingered.
Maybe he could’ve been of more help to the lord he considered serving for a lifetime?
That thought was exceptionally tragic.
But what could be done?
After all, these people were likely to be knocking on death’s door along with him shortly…
“Aaargh!”
The shrill screams of agony filled his ears.
The cries continued without cessation, one after the other.
“Hiiiek!”
Sinisterly familiar, the ordeal unfolded.
Brian slowly opened his eyes once more, lifting his gaze. The familiar figure standing before him inquired softly.
“What are you doing?”
(To be continued in the next chapter)