The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

Confusion filled the hall with Mist’s appearance.

People shouted towards their respective platforms.

“Release the princess!”

“What is the prince doing? Why isn’t he saving the princess?”

“Ugh! Should we go to the country ourselves?”

A chaotic scene unfolded, with cries to save the princess mingling with calls to kill the assassins.

Violet was seething with anger.

In her heart, she wanted nothing more than to swiftly decapitate those black villains and rescue Arin.

However, as if to prevent such a scenario entirely, the assassins made no move to release Arin’s neck.

The knights were at a loss, unable to intervene.

“What are those two even doing amidst all this?”

To add to the chaos, Aschel and Boris were nowhere to be seen.

Ultimately, Violet realized she had to handle the situation alone.

She commanded the knights,

“Kill them.”

“What?”

The knights, thinking they misheard, collectively protested.

“Kill them all! They are the source of evil that disgraces the empire and the royal family! Arin doesn’t want to be used as a hostage! She signaled me with her eyes! She’d rather die than endure such humiliation!”

Violet’s eyes were bloodshot with rage, clouding her judgment.

“But, even so…”

“Come out!”

In the end, Violet, frustrated by the knights’ hesitation, pushed past them and stepped forward.

Mana surged from her hands, and soon, a white magic circle formed above the platform, accompanied by billowing clouds.

“Princess, calm down! That magic is dangerous!”

“I’ll take responsibility!”

The bewildered knights tried to stop her, but Violet paid them no heed.

Unable to touch the princess’s body recklessly, everyone was stunned when suddenly, an old man appeared on the platform and grabbed her arm.

Startled, Violet looked at the impudent man who dared to touch her hand.

“Lord Jereon?”

It was Jereon, the former commander of the Light Knights.

Unlike Violet, who was taken aback, the knights looked relieved as if a savior had arrived.

“The one responsible here is me! No one should oppose my will!”

“I understand your confusion. However, didn’t the princess ask me to be her savior? The princess seems to be heading towards self-destruction right now. How can I not step forward?”

Violet, suddenly rendered speechless, could only quiver her lips without a response.

Jereon gently released the princess’s hand and slowly approached the assassins.

Sensing an unusual aura, the assassins became more vigilant.

“I’m not sure what your true intentions are, but to me, it seems like you’re buying time.”

Some assassins showed signs of hesitation.

“Is the princess over there really Princess Arin?”

“I don’t entertain questions. Retreat three steps from where you are.”

As if there were no second warning, an assassin, speaking up, closed the distance between his sword and Arin.

“It seems like you’re mistaken, but I know that the princess over there isn’t the real one.”

“…!”

“However, the reason I don’t say this outright is because depending on the situation, you might cooperate.”

It was a voice whispered so softly that only those among them could hear it.

The assassins’ gazes briefly flickered with uncertainty before fading away.

“There’s no need to talk for long. Let me simply ask what your true purpose is. Then, perhaps I could cooperate with your efforts to buy time…”

“In the power of the vanquished gods, strike down evil!”

– Crack!

For a moment amidst the strange negotiation, a spell for advanced magic casting was chanted behind Jereon.

Startled, Jereon quickly looked up.

But Violet, already devoid of reason, had completed the spell, and soon lightning poured down upon them from above.

“Gods Strike!”

* * *

“Haa!”

It had taken just one year for her to rise from a promising young talent to a trusted knight guarding the royal family.

Despite her youthful age, which had just reached adulthood, no one within the palace doubted her skills.

Some even called her this:

The Princess’s Sword.

A reliable knight who protected Princess Arin.

They said that as long as she stood, no harm could befall Princess Arin.

Every knight echoed this sentiment.

“…!”

For nearly five minutes, Aschel had not managed to advance even a single step.

Just when she thought she might barely block the lightning-fast strikes coming her way, Arin’s blow followed immediately.

– Clang!

Facing more resistance than anticipated, Aschel stepped back a few paces.

“Ressimus Klein… Should I call you the princess’s sword? Despite having such knights, it’s quite puzzling why Princess Arin was kidnapped, isn’t it?”

Despite Aschel’s mocking laughter, Ressimus remained unfazed.

“Come to think of it, Ressimus, you’re the only knight among the guardians of the palace who hasn’t inherited the power of the holy sword. Why is that? With your skills, you could have surely elevated the potential of the holy sword more than anyone else.”

“No matter how exceptional the power of the holy sword may be, it is ultimately borrowed power.”

Ressimus replied firmly.

“I do not wish to rely on such uncertain power that may leave me at any time. The strength necessary to protect Princess Arin lies solely within the power I have achieved myself.”

“What a truly admirable mindset! It’s applause-worthy.”

Aschel continued to applaud as if he found his mindset extremely impressive.

“Then, I suppose I must sincerely rescue you.”

With that, he unleashed the power of the holy sword, which had been condensed as if he were about to exert his full strength.

“…!”

Feeling an unusual momentum, Ressimus adjusted her stance.

‘Is this the true power of the holy sword?’

It was definitely different from the power bestowed upon other knights.

It seemed to demonstrate the true power of the rightful owner.

It was a power that was awe-inspiring and tension-inducing at the same time.

“Somewhat disappointing.”

Ressimus exclaimed with a bitter laugh.

Upon hearing this, Aschel’s expression slightly contorted.

“The power shown by Cyan was far superior. He instilled fear just by standing there…”

Suddenly, a small smirk formed at the corner of her lips.

“The power of the holy sword is laughable, in fact. If this is all the power it has, it might have been better not to accept it.”

At the unexpected provocation, Aschel seemed momentarily taken aback, but soon responded with a relaxed smile.

“The holy sword is not a demonic sword. It’s not meant to instill fear in people.”

“When did I mention anything about a demonic sword?”

Ressimus flashed her eyes as if to correct his misconception.

“Cyan didn’t even reveal the power of the demonic sword in front of me. The fear I felt was solely from his inherent power. The state he reached was, strictly speaking…”

Recalling the memories of that day still sent chills down her spine.

Just locking eyes with him was enough to induce a strong sense of pressure and fear, truly transcending human boundaries.

“It was on a level incomparable to Aschel.”

That was Cyan.

A presence so awe-inspiring that one might wonder if anyone in this world could defeat him, inspiring not just fear but reverence.

Compared to him, Aschel was nothing more than a rabbit before a tiger.

There was no trace of fear or any negative emotions in her eyes.

“Step aside, Ressimus.”

With that, Arin stepped forward, pushing Ressimus aside.

“Ressimus’s words echo my own sentiments. The power Cyan showed was anything but trivial. My years of effort to turn the impossible into possible were rendered meaningless in an instant.”

Thus, she had decided to give up everything and die by Cyan’s hands.

But Cyan spared her life, and that was why she was here now.

“I have determination. The determination to chase after someone. But Aschel, you lack that. When two people with the same power clash, ultimately, the one with determination wins.”

“There’s a contradiction in your words. Are you saying that you can handle the power given to you by me better than I can?”

“You’ll understand once we face off.”

Responding to her confident demeanor, Arin manifested the power of the holy sword she had received from Aschel.

“Show me, Aschel. The true power of the savior within you!”

As if responding to her resolve, resonance occurred between Arin’s body and the sword, and soon, shining wings emerged from her back.

As Arin fully spread her wings and stared at Aschel with a determined gaze, Aschel met her eyes with a look of dismay.

“The only path to follow the right order is right in front of you. I cannot comprehend why everyone is filled with such distrust and doubt. It’s truly beyond me.”

Then, with a bewildered sigh, he looked up at the sky.

It was a sight rarely seen from him, who was always composed.

“When did things go wrong? When did mist start obscuring my path, which was always illuminated? Ever since that child started to make his presence known in the family… My path has darkened. People who should truly believe in me and unquestionably follow me! They harbor doubt rather than trust!”

“T-There’s nothing in this world that you must unquestionably follow! Even if it’s you, the owner of the holy sword…”

“Perhaps Princess Arin’s negative feelings also stem from Cyan.”

Aschel’s face hardened at Arin’s denial, his eyes filled with a subtle but clear anger.

As rigid as his face, his eyes conveyed a hint of hidden rage.

“I will change your mind. First, I will purify the misguided doubts harbored within Princess Arin,”

Aschel declared cryptically as he raised the holy sword.

“Not only the princess but also everyone touched by Cyan’s influence will be purified by me.”

Soon, resonance occurred with a brilliant light emanating from the holy sword, and wings of light emerged from Aschel’s back, much larger and grander than Arin’s wings.

However, unfazed, Arin stepped forward, even as their swords clashed.

As the swords collided, Arin realized immediately that this was a power she couldn’t easily handle.

But she had to endure it.

Compared to Cyan’s power, this was nothing.

With the thought of grasping even a fragment of Cyan’s power again, Arin summoned all her strength to endure this trial.

“Look at me,”

Aschel called out amidst their desperate struggle.

Turning her gaze, Arin was met with Aschel’s eyes glowing with an unfamiliar crimson light.

“….?”

“The time is near when not only the princess but everyone in this world will look at me! I, Aschel Vert, am the sole truth of this world!!!”

As the mind became numb and vision blurred, suddenly the body started to heat up.

The discomfort intensified the more she looked into Aschel’s eyes, yet for some reason, she couldn’t look away.

As the body and mind gradually became hazy due to the inexplicable force,

“You must have felt a lot of humor while I was away.”

A familiar voice was heard from behind.

“…!”

Realizing the owner of the voice, Arin immediately turned her head.

There, with a gleeful smirk on his lips,

“I had a good laugh after a long time.”

Cyan was standing.