The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

“Haahh…”

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a bright light.

For me, it was a time when a stifled yawn turned into a deep sigh.

“As mentioned earlier, magic is the power of the gods that created the world. It depends on how we utilize the mana inherent in our bodies…”

A theoretical class I hadn’t attended in 30 years.

It seems I made a mistake in dealing with the dean.

I agreed to attend the class occasionally to show some conscience, but I might need to redefine what “occasionally” means.

Even sitting through two hours of this was extremely boring.

*Swish*

As soon as the first class ended, I got up from my seat.

Today’s lesson ends here. If I stay any longer, my mind will become foggy.

The moment when I was about to leave the classroom empty-handed and without even a single textbook.

“Where are you going, Cyan?”

An unexpected voice stopped me.

As I turned my eyes, I saw a red brooch, proving that the person wearing it was a member of the royal family.

There is only one person who wears that emblem in this classroom.

Princess Arin.

She was staring at me with a displeased expression.

“I’m going to the restroom.”

I replied immediately with an expressionless face.

“The restroom isn’t that way, is it? You’re not planning to leave after attending just one class in a month, are you?”

Why do you, who are not even an instructor, care about that?

“I’m planning to use the restroom downstairs because it seems crowded on the main floor.”

With a facial expression unchanged, Princess Arin shot me a suspicious look.

Beside her, Ressimus, with a somewhat embarrassed face, was also present.

“Are you really just going to the restroom?”

“Of course. I’ll go to the restroom and come back to the classroom.”

It won’t be immediate, but it might take about two weeks.

“Okay. Then let’s go together. I also want to use the restroom downstairs!”

“…?”

For a moment, I wondered if I misheard.

When she saved Ressimus, I thought she had changed a bit, but she still acts like a child.

“Ah, Arin, even as a princess, you should maintain your dignity…”

Ressimus, who was by my side, was on the verge of crying.

But isn’t the title a bit strange?

“Did you allow her to address you by name?”

“Huh? Oh, right! I asked Ressimus to call me by my name in private! We’re all just students here!”

We’re all the same students here…

Perhaps the only person who thinks so might be you throughout this academy.

“Well, since it’s what the princess wanted, it’s not my place to say anything, but you should be careful in front of others. As you know, this isn’t a very friendly place.”

Despite giving her advice, her dissatisfied expression did not go away.

“You?”

“yes?”

“Why are you still calling me ‘Princess’? Weren’t you talking to the casually Prince Set? Then you should be able to talk to me too, right?”

“The circumstances are different, aren’t they? I am a person of the empire, and you are a member of the imperial family. How dare I call the princess so casually?”

“…!”

It was Ressimus who jolted and looked surprised.

Perhaps even she, initially, vehemently opposed the idea that such a thing could never happen.

Princess Arin let out a small sigh.

“As expected, are you still the same as a year ago? Still blunt yet so naive.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Amidst the awkward conversation, footsteps coming down the stairs were heard.

“…..!”

Arin, upon seeing their faces, froze for a moment.

“Arin?”

The siblings, upon seeing her, furrowed their brows, indicating recognition.

Their strikingly similar faces reminded one of siblings at a glance. The black marks under their eyes, characteristic of the Nepellis family’s genetics. And the royal red brooch identical to the one Arin wore.

I, too, recognized their faces.

The 3rd Prince Fabian Sevellerus and the 4th Prince Nerobian Sevellerus of the empire.

They were the children of the current empress and siblings of Princess Arin.

They were probably about four years older than me, so by now, they would be around 15 years old.

Adolescents with developed skeletal structures and prominent Adam’s apples.

To them, who grew up with each passing day, 11-year-old Princess Arin was nothing more than a bright yellow chick.

The siblings looked down at her from above with amused eyes.

“It’s been a while. Fabian, Nerobian, elder brothers…”

Arin raised her hand in a formal greeting and bowed slightly.

Although it’s natural, they are not on such good terms to exchange pleasantries or share greetings.

They are princes who bear the title of Marquis Nepellis, the emperor’s vassals.

[TL/N: Going with Marquis instead of Count from now on.]

There was no way they could see Arin, whose origins were unclear, as someone worthy of respect.

“Tsk…”

Despite her younger brother’s greeting, Prince Fabian clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

Without even a glance, he passed by.

On the other hand, Prince Nerobian smiled with a somewhat annoyed expression.

“But you’ve grown up a bit, saying hello without being nervous?”

“……”

She just lowered her head without saying a word.

Although she didn’t show it, she felt her insides shaking.

“Still, in order to maintain the princess’s dignity, you even placed people by your side. Actually, who would you put next to you…….”

For a moment, his gaze, filled with malice, froze strangely upon meeting mine.

“Cyan… Vert?”

Am I already that famous?

It feels like every person I meet recognizes me.

“Do you know me?”

“Of course! I couldn’t not recognize the niece of Duke Vert, a long-time friend of Royal Father! I saw the duel a few days ago. Even though it was an unremarkable attribute, you defeated the Prince of Sands quite impressively.”

It doesn’t feel much like praise. Is it because of my mood?

For now, without showing any emotions, I replied.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“Next time I host a social party, I’ll make sure to invite you. Let’s have a chat then!”

Whether it was encouragement or sarcasm, Prince Nerobian smiled.

“……?”

Then suddenly, he approached Arin and whispered softly in her ear.

“Don’t act unbecoming of a princess and do the same things. Arin…”

Clenched fists and trembling pupils.

The whisper meant for the person concerned strangely reached my ears as well.

This is why having good hearing can be a problem?

The 4th Prince, who threw not advice but a warning, went straight down the stairs following the 3rd Prince.

After the storm passed, a quiet calm descended.

“Hoo…”

As if trying to calm her heart, Princess Arin let out a deep breath.

“I’m sorry. Did I show any inappropriate behavior for a moment?”

“Were… were those princes just now…?”

Ressimus asked.

“Yeah, that’s right. They’re my elder brothers. Our relationship isn’t particularly good to begin with, but they seemed especially harsh today.”

“What did they say…?”

“It’s nothing. They just seemed to have misunderstood something.”

Misunderstanding… Well, it’s not entirely wrong, but there’s a saying that goes, ‘beneath a warning lies a hidden meaning of caution.’

Strictly speaking, the 4th prince was cautioning Princess Arin just now.

Why?

Obviously because of me.

It’s not for nothing that he mentioned inviting me to a social party. The 4th prince just treated me as a legitimate noble.

It’s amusing to say it myself, but my position is by no means light now.

Already, rumors are circulating within the academy about favors bestowed upon Cyan Vert, spread far and wide.

A commoner like me, endorsed by the emperor, even lives in the royal court.

That pretty much sums it up.

(I found out about this relatively recently.)

Anyway, here I am, for whatever reason, sitting next to Princess Arin.

So, I couldn’t help but be cautious.

If there’s any misunderstanding, it’s that I’m nobody’s person right now.

I was just about to escape class and ended up getting caught by her, engaging in this struggle.

“Um… Cyan?”

There seemed to be something she wanted to say, a slight tremble in Princess Arin’s lips.

“Please, go ahead.”

“They say blood is thicker than water… Is that really true?”

It’s a somewhat random question, but I could guess the underlying meaning.

I replied nonchalantly.

“Generally speaking, yes. After all, blood relations are the most basic relationships in human society.”

“Is that so? Because, in the end, family is just that…”

Disappointment seemed to seep through her formal response, a sense of listlessness evident in her voice.

“However, when power is added to that bloodline…”

“…?”

“It can create a relationship worse than strangers.”

It was a kind of anecdote from experience.

“Because power is more brutal than blood…”

How she would interpret that was up to her now.

“……”

I don’t know what she was thinking, but she had her fists clenched with a determined look on her face.

* * *

As the sun began to set in the western horizon, Brian, carrying handfuls of snacks like candies, bread, and chocolates, passed through the bustling streets of Luwen.

“……”

At dusk, Brian couldn’t shake off his nervousness, feeling a strange sense of pursuit amidst the crowded streets.

Since the day he arrived in Luwen with Cyan, he had felt unknown eyes watching them from various corners.

Whether it was because of his unique animal-like senses, one could only guess.

While he might have dismissed it as mere paranoia once or twice, the continuous surveillance, particularly when he ventured out of the academy or bought groceries, couldn’t be ignored.

It felt like he was being watched not just by one group, but by multiple, wherever he went.

Perhaps it was the tracker from Velias?

Then, these observers wouldn’t have stuck to him alone.

They must have been monitoring Cyan as well.

Considering that he was just a mediocre seed, there had to be someone targeting his owner.

However, to his surprise, these surveillance instances usually vanished within a day or two.

Cyan’s nightly outings for exercise were the cue.

Without even needing to be told, he knew his master was taking care of it.

But today was different.

Along with the usual group of people tailing him, he could feel another group mirroring his movements from the opposite side.

It was definitely not a coincidence.

The vibes felt too different.

While one side seemed to be just keeping a suitable distance and observing him, the other side exuded an aura that seemed capable of killing on a whim.

Maybe it was because of a significant experience in the past, but he had become accustomed to such sinister vibes.

He couldn’t just ignore it like usual.

-Swish

Suddenly, Brian picked up his pace and redirected his steps towards a dim alley instead of the dormitory.

The pursuers didn’t miss a beat and followed him.

It had been nearly a month since he had been entrusted with the eleven-year-old master.

The time, short or long, had been filled with strange occurrences.

From suspicious instructors who came and went without a trace, to a woman who materialized freely from a sword, and even a child born from the union of a dragon and a human.

Even if they were the skilled offspring of the duke, they couldn’t possibly exhibit such extraordinary abilities.

To Brian, Cyan’s age was merely a number.

Sometimes he wondered about Cyan’s true identity, and there were occasional speculations, but he never directly asked.

Cyan, in turn, didn’t seem to want to interrogate or hide anything from him.

Eventually, he believed that Cyan trusted him enough to speak up when the time was right.

He wasn’t particularly intelligent.

He believed that as long as he faithfully followed his current duties, it was enough as a seed.

However, since the world doesn’t work solely on one’s intentions, ultimately, a seed’s value lay in how much it could assist its master.

Brian’s eyes were burning with determination.

At the dead end of the alley that finally emerged, Brian gently set down the luggage he was carrying and glanced towards the corner.

“Please come out.”

————