The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

The air on the frontlines always feels filthy, no matter when you breathe it in.

People are supposed to adapt to a place after living there for a long time, but whether you’ve been here for a year or just returned after a long absence, it’s just repulsive.

But despite that, I’ve come back again.

To change this damn future.

“Kuungg!”

Even dogs with low intelligence are still the same.

I’d love to chop off their heads one by one and taste a bit of blood, but unfortunately, there won’t be time for that.

After fixing my sword, I immediately charged forward.

-Swish

There was no need for fancy swordsmanship against inferior demonic monsters.

The hounds’ throats fell to the ground as easily as water flows.

The familiar scent of blood rose from the severed bodies.

But among them, there was a particularly strong smell.

Of course, it wasn’t the scent of the hounds.

Looking around, I noticed traces of advanced monsters scattered nearby, taken from who knows where.

Where did the second princess get such things, I wonder?

Well, it doesn’t matter right now.

For now, I looked back.

“…!”

Just a moment ago, my sister, who seemed to have given up everything, was glaring at me while clutching her abdomen wound.

My face was covered with a mask, so she couldn’t tell if it was me, but anyone would be surprised in this situation.

It had been about two months since we last saw each other after the imperial banquet.

To be honest, it was quite bleak.

Well, not for me, but for my sister.

Is that really the face of someone who wants to live?

Even when the hounds were rushing to tear her throat, she closed her eyes.

What does that mean?

She gave up on life.

Unlike me, who had burned with vengeance at the bitter betrayal, she had let go of everything the moment she realized there was nowhere to go back to.

I always say my sister is a strong woman.

Knowing that herself, she always wanted to protect others with her strength, not just herself.

I was one of them, too.

The problem is that no one actually tried to protect her.

If there had been even one, she wouldn’t have died so futilely in her past life.

Moreover, has anything changed in this life?

Just as she had saved me from Cranz’s beating before, now it’s my turn to save her from death.

“Stop! Don’t come any closer!”

But my sister, who wouldn’t understand my intentions, raised her sword and warned me.

“You… Have we met before?”

Well, I’ve seen her before.

Strictly speaking, we’re not complete strangers.

“No mistake! You’re definitely the person I saw at the imperial palace a few months ago! You must have seen me too!”

I am so thankful that she clearly remembered the changed appearance of her younger brother.

“Are you here to… kill me too?”

What a dreadful thing to say.

Even if the heavens were to split in two, that would never happen.

Ugh…

It’s really disgusting.

I’m witnessing the most unpleasant sight in the world right now.

Seeing sadness and despair clinging to that beautiful face.

It felt like tears would burst out at any moment with just a poke of a finger.

My sister died so lonely in a place where no one was around, right?

Suddenly, everything seems meaningless.

Revenge, and everything else… Should I just turn back and kill them all?

“Grrrr…”

With a fierce howl, a strange presence was felt from behind.

Another demonic monster drawn by the smell of blood.

Judging by the feeling, it seemed like quite a rare visitor had arrived.

I turned my gaze indifferently.

Fur stained with fresh blood, fangs chilling the atmosphere.

It seemed like it had already had a meal somewhere, as blood was smeared around its mouth.

The appearance of this demonic monster meant that this area could become quite noisy for a while…

Whether it perceived us as its next prey or not, the creature was licking its lips eagerly with its tongue protruding from its wide-open mouth.

* * *

The superior beast of the Lemea Valley, the ‘Red Wolf’.

A predator known to recognize any living creature as prey, regardless of whether it is a human or a demonic beast, and devours whatever it can find.

It wasn’t a demonic beast that just two humans could handle.

Alice felt her arms and legs trembling as if they were about to go crazy.

It wasn’t just because of the wound in her abdomen, but she felt her body involuntarily reacting to the majesty of facing a superior demonic beast for the first time.

Even a momentary distraction could lead to her throat being swallowed by that beast’s mouth at any moment.

But the man in front of her was different.

Despite the fierce aura that made even her tremble, he didn’t flinch.

Instead, he stood tall, staring at the massive beast without any fear.

“…!”

Then, abruptly turning his body, he aimed the sword he was holding at the beast.

‘Is he really planning to confront that demonic beast?’

The skin of a superior demonic beast has a completely different level of toughness compared to that of an inferior beast.

Attacking with mediocre mana could not only shatter one’s own bones, but beasts like the Red Wolf wouldn’t even allow such an attack to land.

It takes at least three high-ranked knights to have a chance against a beast like this alone.

For Alice, it was mind-boggling.

*Swoosh*

Nevertheless, as if it were the most natural thing, the man effortlessly transferred the mana manifested in his hand into the sword.

*Clang!*

“…!”

In the blink of an eye, with the first sword strike, a total of three strikes unfolded in succession.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Neither Alice nor even the Red Wolf realized what had happened.

In fact, the speed of the swings was so fast that it was impossible to tell if there were three strikes.

Without even a moment to groan, the body of the Red Wolf was torn into dozens of pieces.

For a superior beast, it was an unexpectedly anticlimactic end.

As if it were the most natural thing, the man in the mask simply stared at the corpse of the beast.

“….”

An indescribable tension filled the air between them.

Just as an awkward atmosphere was about to linger because neither of them stepped forward,

*Thud*

Rain poured down from the cloudy sky.

As the rain soaked her gradually, Alice’ lips felt drier and drier.

Despite the circumstances suggesting that he had come to rescue her, she couldn’t fathom the reason behind it.

Regardless of the reason for his visit, what she was most curious about was,

“Who are you, exactly?”

His identity.

Strangely, though, he didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar.

It felt like they had met somewhere in life, not only at the palace but also at some point in her life.

Beyond not feeling unfamiliar, she even felt a sense of familiarity.

“….”

The man in the mask remained silent as ever.

Was he also struggling to find the right words to say?

After a moment, the man’s feet, which had been stuck to the ground, finally began to move.

*Thud*

With each step he took closer, Alice felt the anxiety in her heart gradually dissipating.

It was even beginning to feel comforting.

Feeling such emotions toward a stranger whom she doesn’t even know, is that really normal?

Even thinking about it herself seemed absurd.

That means, Alice thought, that the presence behind that mask must surely have some connection to her.

With such thoughts in mind, as she gazed at the man once again, her heart raced once more.

Somewhere, there was a familiar physique, a familiar gait.

There’s a sensation known to families who share blood – an instinctual recognition that’s invisible to outsiders, an undeniable essence.

And now, Alice felt that essence emanating from the man before her.

As he took a step closer, almost within embracing distance, the man finally halted.

Still, he remained silent.

While he exuded an air of indifference, Alice’s entire body trembled incessantly.

In a momentary pang of pain, Alice flinched as the man touched her wounded area.

*Ping*

A bright light of healing emerged, enveloping Alice’s injured abdomen.

The light seeped into the torn flesh, beginning the process of regeneration, stopping the bleeding and restoring her to her original state.

It was a 7th-rank healing magic, ‘Touch of Regeneration’, a spell quite incompatible with a man who had just mercilessly torn apart the limbs of the Red Wolf.

However, Alice’s wounds were rapidly healing despite this awkwardness.

As the healing concluded, the man finally raised his head to meet Alice’s gaze once more.

He was of small stature, almost borderline adult, making it easy for Alice to look down at him.

Yet, this only made her emotions more turbulent.

He looked like a young boy to anyone’s eyes.

Moved by instinct, Alice slowly raised her hand.

Suppressing overwhelming emotions, as her hand finally touched the man’s mask, he spoke for the first time.

“You don’t need to force yourself to confirm it.”

The masked man finally spoke.

The moment she heard that voice, Alice’s ever-shaking hand stopped.

Instead of stopping her movements, the man took off the mask he had been wearing.

“Ah….”

Along with a sigh filled with many emotions, hot tears flowed down Alice’s pure white cheeks.

The carelessly pouring rain made her weeping feelings even more sad.

With a sigh containing various emotions, tears streamed down Alice’s cheeks, made even more poignant by the pouring rain.

“Cyan…?”

An incredulous question escaped her lips.

Could it really be him?

With a nod, the man calmly shook his head.

“Have you already forgotten your little brother’s face?”

Could that be possible?

Even if she were trapped in a cave for a thousand years without seeing anyone, she could never forget his brother’s face.

Alice couldn’t believe her eyes as she saw her beloved brother, Cyan.

Betrayed by someone she trusted the most, and left with nothing but despair, the person who appeared to save her is…….

“The armor suits you really well. Sister Alice.”

It was her youngest brother, Cyan.

Drenched in rainwater, Alice gently cupped Cyan’s cheek with her wet hand.

“Why… Why are you here?”

It was beyond belief, beyond any possibility.

She even began to doubt if she was seeing an illusion, but the warmth and softness she felt were undeniably real.

Gradually, joy spread across Alice’s face.

“I came to save you, sister. Just knowing that you’re alive is enough for me…!”

Before Cyan could finish his sentence, Alice pulled him into a tight embrace.

In truth, why Cyan was here didn’t matter much to her.

That the last being who could give her a reason to live had appeared when she had nothing left.

It provided immense comfort to the current Alice.

“Thank you, Cyan. For showing up for me…”

Alice’s tears flowed incessantly down her face, mixing with the rainwater on Cyan’s cloak.